Looking for some help please. Flt. Sgt. Gordon John McFadyean is listed on my local War Memorial and the story I have from a relative is that Gordon was the pilot of a Lockheed Hudson of 48 Squadron which was seen to crash into the Mediterranean on 23 October 1943. The aircraft had been converted to carry under-wing, anti-ship/submarine rockets and was on a training flight with just three crew. A Maltese fishing boat saw the accident and recovered the body of the Air Gunner. Flt.Sgt.s G J McFadyean and P Newns of 48 Squadron are listed on the Malta Memorial BUT the only other casualty I can find on the same date is Sgt. (W.Op/Air Gunner) Joseph Murphy of 221 Squadron in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery. 221 was based in Malta at the time but 48 was based in Gibraltar. Anyone have the accident report? or other info about this puzzle? Ken ps anyone else having a problem with the "facebook" link sitting on top of the sign-in box?
Hi Ken I think that my wifes uncle may have been on that flight. His name was flight Sgt. Donald Joseph Cotter he was an RCAF nco attached to the 48th in Gibraltar and died Oct. 23 1943. In the national archives it shows him Sgt. Gordon McFadyean, flight Sgt. P. Newns and flight Sgt. S.M. Craig as last flying together on the 19th of Oct. and landing safely. There are no more entries for them in the operation log. There is however mention of the fact that on the 23 a flight was sent on an air sea rescue where they spotted plane wreckage but no bodies and sent the coordinates to the Navy for further investigation. The only other information I have is from what I have read from your posts. If your still out there and watching these it would be great to know more if you have any further information. Thanks Graham
Hi Graham Sorry nothing more I can add. It's interesting that you have been able to link Flt Sgt. Stanley M. Craig to this flight. It has always bothered me that he died on the same day and was from the same squadron. All 3 are listed on the Malta Memorial whereas your man is on the Gibralter Memorial. There is a website http://website.lineone.net/~remosliema/index.htm which lists casualties of Malta and the 3 are there (but with little detail) but Flt Sgt Cotter is not listed. I suspect that he might have died elsewhere but it's odd that he is the only one on the Gib. Memorial with that date of death. Ho Hum, the joys of research. Can I ask about the flight of the 19th? Where from and To? Ken
Hi Ken thanks for responding, the flight # 462 in a hudson VI, V/FK. The duty column says " track 2, 8 R.P's", take off was 0755 and landing time was 1425. There was nothing written in the details of sortie column. There was another flight # 930 left at roughly the same time that patrolled east of Gib. on a " A/S sweep, Parrot, on track 1, 8 r.p's". This is the only entry in the operation records for this crew in the month of October. I am wondering if they were flying missions for Coastal Command if those missions including the one that crashed are in their operation records. Were the bodies of the other three crew recovered and buried in Malta? Donald's body was not recovered and according to my research sailors and airmen that were buried at sea or whose remains were never found were buried at Gib. According to my wife the telegram from the war office stated that he died on the 23rd. in a plane crash. However this document is no longer available to verify. Graham
[Hi ken check out my post Joseph Murphy is my brotherquote="kenmorrison, post: 38180, member: 1768"]Looking for some help please. Flt. Sgt. Gordon John McFadyean is listed on my local War Memorial and the story I have from a relative is that Gordon was the pilot of a Lockheed Hudson of 48 Squadron which was seen to crash into the Mediterranean on 23 October 1943. The aircraft had been converted to carry under-wing, anti-ship/submarine rockets and was on a training flight with just three crew. A Maltese fishing boat saw the accident and recovered the body of the Air Gunner. Flt.Sgt.s G J McFadyean and P Newns of 48 Squadron are listed on the Malta Memorial BUT the only other casualty I can find on the same date is Sgt. (W.Op/Air Gunner) Joseph Murphy of 221 Squadron in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery. 221 was based in Malta at the time but 48 was based in Gibraltar. Anyone have the accident report? or other info about this puzzle? Ken ps anyone else having a problem with the "facebook" link sitting on top of the sign-in box?[/quote]
This is a better space! My brother Joseph Murphy is buried in Malta .His plane went down off the coast of Malta so I am sure he is the person you name in your post .I would be interested to stay in touch with you and share the info you have found .I have a couple of photos of him but most of our photo history was lost. check my post for other details .I am a new member.
