Date:	Saturday 16 February 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Hawker Tempest Mk V
Owner/operator:	1 APS RAF
Registration:	NV787
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Llancadle Farm, near Aberthaw, South Glamorgan, Wales -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea
Destination airport:	RAF St Athan, South Glamorgan
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 16th February 1946 Wing Commander Anthony Eyre DFC took off from RAF Fairwood Common near Swansea on a routine practice flight in Tempest NV787. Sometime during the flight, the aircraft’s Sabre engine started to falter and he decided to make a precautionary landing at RAF St Athan. While approaching the main runway the aircraft’s engine cut out completely and it lost height and struck a large oak tree at Llancadle Farm, near Aberthaw. The pilot was killed instantly. An engine strip down revealed a failure in the sleeve drive mechanism.
Pilot:
W/Cdr (90408) Anthony EYRE DFC, R. Aux.AF - killed in service 16-2-46. Buried at Llangennith (St. Cennydd) Churchyard. Llangennith, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales

As per the announcement in The Times (London) 20 February 1946 under "Deaths in Active Service":

"On Feb. 16, 1946. as a result of a flying accident, Wing Commander Anthony Eyre. D.F.C., A.A.F., aged 27 years (late P.O.W., Stalag Luft III), adored husband of Jean Mary (née Spence) (new address: Magnus Lodge, Cronks Hill, Reigate, Surrey), and the loved only son of the late G. W. B. Eyre and Mrs. Eyre, and brother of Subaltern Pamela Eyre. A.T.S".

The pilots "day job" was working for the National & Provincial Bank (now part of the National Westminster Bank), Their website (see link #15) has a short biography...

"Anthony Eyre
Bank: National Provincial Bank
Place of work: London Piccadilly branch
Died: 16 February 1946

Anthony Eyre was born on 12 November 1918, the son of Mr and Mrs GWB Eyre. He was educated at Whitgift School, Croydon before joining the staff of National Provincial Bank as a probationer at London Piccadilly branch in July 1935. He was promoted to junior clerk in October 1935 and to clerk in October 1937.

Outside work Eyre was a member of the Auxiliary Air Force, commissioned in 1938. In August 1939 he left the bank to go on full time war service in the Royal Air Force. In January 1940 he was promoted to Flying Officer. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in August 1940 for his 'great devotion to duty' while serving in France, including acting as a courier. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in January 1941; Squadron Leader in December 1941; and Wing Commander in February 1942. In March 1942 Eyre was shot down over France and taken prisoner. He remained in a German prisoner of war camp until he was liberated in May 1945.

On 16 February 1946 while on a practice flight near Swansea, Eyre’s plane developed engine trouble. While he was attempting an emergency landing at RAF St Athan the engine cut out altogether and his plane struck a tree. Wing Commander Eyre was killed instantly. He was 27 years old".

In 2006 a plaque was unveiled at Whitgift School, Croydon, bearing the names of the eight 'old boys' [former pupils] who had served in the Battle of Britain, including Anthony Eyre

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.31 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.74
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft NA100-NZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. The Times, 20 Feb 1946:"Deaths on active service".
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.95: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Eyre.htm
7. https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/world-war-iii-in-may-1946.153785/
8. https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/44994/Eyre-Anthony.htm?c=aw
9. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2717312/anthony-eyre/
10. http://www.ggat.org.uk/timeline/pdf/Military%20Aircraft%20Crash%20Sites%20in%20Southeast%20Wales.pdf
11. https://www.saxonlodge.net/getperson.php?personID=I1009&tree=Tatham
12. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=NV787
13. Grave marker: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andybailey/29196508557/in/photolist-cFZT4f-LtZJNz-cFZTFm
14. https://www.facebook.com/groups/BattleofBritain/permalink/637233023532643/?comment_id=843385189584091
15. https://www.natwestgroupremembers.com/our-fallen/our-fallen-ww2/e/anthony-eyre.html
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberthaw

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Jan-2015 00:07	Dr. John Smith	Added
24-Feb-2015 06:03	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Nature, Destination airport, Narrative]
24-Feb-2015 06:04	angels one five	Updated [Phase, Narrative]
17-Apr-2015 18:27	Newton	Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Narrative]
10-May-2019 23:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
26-May-2019 07:20	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
09-Aug-2019 05:07	angels one five	Updated [Narrative]
14-Jun-2021 23:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2021 23:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
14-Jun-2021 23:20	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
15-Jun-2021 08:48	Newton	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
16-Aug-2021 21:50	angels one five	Updated [Narrative]
16-Aug-2021 21:50	angels one five	Updated [[Narrative]]