1185186 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve died aged 23
Alan was born in 1921 to parents Alfred George and Ellen Cooke (née Hemming) in Birmingham.He married Joyce Eileen Walton from Ward End in October 1941.
In the latter period of 1941 Alan was flying the Airspeed Oxford II aircraft based at Unit No 23 Heany, Bulawayo Service Flying Training School in Rhodesia, Africa.
The Joint Air Training Scheme was a major programme for training South African Air Force, Royal Air Force and Allied air crews during World War 11. The Elementary Flying Training School gave recruits 50 hours of basic aviation instruction on a simple trainer aircraft. Pilots who showed promise went on to train at a Service Flying Training School which provided advanced training for pilots, including fighter and multi-engine aircraft. Other trainees went on to different specialties, such as wireless, navigation or bombing and air gunnery.
The Airspeed AS10 Oxford was a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It was in widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Second World War.
Alan died on 28th August 1944 aged 23 along with crew member Ronald Kenneth Brookfield (1231815) whilst flying in Oxford II X734 of No 23 Service Flying Training School, which crashed at Myfoot in South Rhodesia, Africa. His wife remarried in 1946.
He is remembered at Bulawayo (Athlone) Cemetery, Zimbabwe. The inscription reads “This boy we loved gave his to-morrow that we might have to-day.” He is also commemorated at the Castle Bromwich war memorial, Castle Bromwich.
This post is based on research by Alan Fewtrell and Terrie Knibb.
