Identity
Person No.
28887
Service No.
95559
Last Name
First Name
Unknown
Initials
H W
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
40
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Killed in aircraft accident, petrol leak, cockpit burst into flames Mtubatuba, in Lockheed B-34 Ventura II #6107. Ditched in the Indian Ocean 8km east of Umkomaas due to double engine failure. Two P-40 Kittyhawks from 10 Sqn, an Anson and a Battle proceeded to the area to search for possible survivors. All four crew members wearing Mae West were seen to enter the water and at approximately 20:35. Major Brierley and Sgt McIver were rescued by a Durban based crash boat R1. Major Brierley stated that the other two crew members were close by, but in the fading light they could not be found. The search continued the next day, after Lt Jacks thought he observed a man in the water he fired a burst across the bows of the rescue vessel, though in doing so lost sight of the man. These two members of the crew that went missing were 22 Squadrons first losses
Grave Reference
Location
Additional Information
Notes
Son of Ernest and Edith Wright, of King William's Town, Cape Province, South Africa; husband of Hazel R. Wright, of King William's Town.
Citation
Unknown
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project