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| Date: | Tuesday 20 February 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Miles Martinet TT I |
| Owner/operator: | 4 APC RAF. |
| Registration: | MS690 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | St Brides, Pembrokeshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Talbenny |
| Return. |
Details:
Martinet MS690 was a TT (Target Towing A/C) type, built by Philips & Powis of Reading. She was one of 355 delivered to the RAF. She was completed and delivered between July and November 1943, coming straight to No.4 APC (Armament Practice Camp), which was formed here during April 1943. No.4 stayed at RAF Talbenny until September 1945. RAF Talbenny closed on the 23rd of December 1946.
F/Lt Punshon was no stranger to incidents involving aircraft. He was flying Beaufighter JM349 out of RAF Catfoss on the 18th of August 1943. His navigator/wireless operator was Sgt Meyrick, they were taking off to undertake a training flight when an engine failed, the pilot lost control and crashed off the end of the Brandesburton end of the runway. The aircraft was badly damaged, but the crew survived suffering minor injuries.
One other incident Punshon was involved with, was one I covered in 2022 (only whilst writing this 80th anniversary, I realised who he was and that I had written about him three years ago!) This is the details of that incident.
*NB. Take note of the Observer/Winch operator!
Wednesday the 2nd of September. Westland Lysander TT.1 T1440.
“This aircraft was one of 250 built by Westlands and delivered between August 1940 & February 1941. It was delivered to the RAF and allocated to ‘B’ Flight 1 AACU who were attached to 4 Armaments Practice Camp at Carew.
On this date 80 years ago, it would appear that T1440 was returning to Carew, the crew were F/O Davey (pilot) and his winch operator, Lac Tambling, when they struck rising ground near Haverford West in bad visibility. Both were lucky to escape with minor injuries.
F/O Davey went on to fly operationally again, going to 221 squadron who were flying the Vickers Wellington in the MTO (Mediterranean Theatre of Operations). But was killed when Wellington HX626 crashed into the Med’ off Malta after returning from an operational op on the 27th of February 1943, he was the 2nd pilot and only one other crew member was recovered, the rest listed as missing.
Lac Tambling continued to serve with 4 APC when he was flying in Martinet MS690 with F/Lt Punshon being the pilot when they collided with an unidentified B24 Liberator of Coastal Command, the Liberator flew on but MS690 crashed near Ripperston in Pembrokeshire, killing the two crew members on the 20th of February 1945.”
I had completely forgotten about this incident and the two RAF personnel who would once again come into another tragedy. I think this is the first time any crew have been mentioned twice!
As for the Liberator, No.19 Group Coastal Command had No.16 Flight of the CCFTU (Coastal Command Ferry Training Unit) had become residents of RAF Talbenny until August 1945. It would therefore be probable that the Liberator was one of these aircraft.
However, it obviously didn’t crash as a result of the collision, it is sadly easier to research the dead than it is for those who were fortunate to survive the war.
Crew:
F/Lt John Norman Punshon 27yo J/14844 RCAF. Pilot. Killed. 1
Son of Ralph and Eva Punshon, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lac William Richard Tambling 26yo 1311989 RAFVR. W/Op. Killed. 2
Son of William and Irena Tambling of Duloe, Cornwall.
Buried:
1 Haverfordwest (City Road) Cemetery. Uncons. Row 1. Grave 4.
1 Duloe (St Cuby) Churchyard.
Wreckage:
Removed.
Memorials:
Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Web page. CWGC Headstones.
Sources:
www.caspir.warplane.com
www.veterans.gc.ca
My own previous write up asn.flightsafety.org
www.cwgc.org
www.aircrewremembered.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Feb-2025 19:31 | Davies 62 | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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