On 31st December 1943 the crew of this aircraft were undertaking a fuel consumption test during the early afternoon. The crew and the aircraft were attached to No.301 Ferry Training Unit (or F.T.U.) based Lyneham and were a unit set up to train aircrew prior to ferrying their aircraft overseas. This aircraft failed to return to base and was recorded as missing. It was not until 11th January 1944 that the wreckage of the Beaufighter was found on high ground in the region of Kinmont Buckbarrow and Buckbarrow and the two crew had been killed in the crash. There must have been a thick covering of snow on these hills at the time, where the site is believed to be is reasonably close to a road.
Pilot - F/Lt Hubert Stuart Ray RAFVR (104522), aged 21. Buried Mere Knolls Cemetery, Sunderland, Durham.
Navigator - F/O John Penrose Angold RAF (47098), aged 34. Buried Westcott New Churchyard, Surrey.
The aircraft is believed to have crashed in this area.
Hubert Ray was the son of Norman Stuart and Jane Metcalf (nee Harder) Ray. His family lived at Whitburn, Sunderland, Durham. His parents were living at Boldon, Durham when the 1939 Register was compiled but his name is still redacted owing to his age when this webpage was last updated. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 9th August 1941. He was promoted to F/O on 9th August 1942 and F/Lt on 9th August 1943. During late-1942 he was serving as an instructor with the RAF's Training Command. His sister Norma served as a WAAF during the Second World War. In 1942 she was a orthopist in the Central Medical Board who tested the eyes of aircrew for night vision and training of stereoscope vision.
John Angold was the son of Herbert Edward and Henrietta Evelyn Angold. He married Katharine Rosemary Lynch Odhams, of Mickleham, Surrey and they had two children. He had gained a Bachelor of Arts degree and was a reasonably well known poet of his day. He received a commission to the rank of (Acting) P/O on probation (emergency) on 7th November 1941 (with seniority of 15th September 1941) in the Admin and Special Duties Branch of the RAF. He was graded as P/O on probation on 7th January 1942 and later promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942. He is listed on the East Grinstead Hospital "Guinea Pig" Roll as being under treatment there from 12th May 1942 having being hit in the face at Middleton St.George while sawing a branch off a tree resulting in him sustaining fractures to his face bones. This treatment must have been successful as he later returned to active service but relinquished his rank in this Branch on 8th June 1943 on transfer to the General Duties Branch of the RAF as P/O. He was later promoted to F/O (war subs) on 8th December 1943.
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