Tiger Moth DE138 at Catterick airfield.
At 11.00hrs on 14th October 1942 this 403 Squadron aircraft was in the process of taking off from Catterick airfield in a cross-wind when, as the pilot applied power a strong gust of wind caught the aircraft and the right wings dipped into the wind. The pilot attempted to level the aircraft out but the wind then caught the aircraft and carried it towards a dispersal. The pilot believed that the aircraft was not travelling fast enough to be turned into the wind and it did not have enough speed or height to clear obstructions in the way so he reduced power and landed. The strong wind then carried the aircraft towards the perimeter hedge and the brakes did not stop it before it struck trees on the edge of the airfield. The aircraft sustained Cat.B damage as a result of the mishap.
Pilot - Sgt John Walter Hawkey RCAF (R/90331). Uninjured.
On 23rd January 1944 he was a passenger on board Beaufighter NE474 which was in the process of being ferried from 46 MU at Lossiemouth down to 2 OAPU at Filton. The aircraft had landed at Hawarden during the flight, possibly to be re-fuelled or/and possibly having landed there for an over-night stop. At 13.45hrs on this date the Beaufighter was being taxied at Hawarden having just landed on the correct runway that was in use at the time. As it cross the intersection of another runway it was struck by Mustang AG597 that had also just landed, but on a runway that was not in use at the time. Both aircraft were badly damaged. The pilot of the Mustang F/O Eric William Holford RAF (31327) was killed. The crew of the Beaufighter, F/O Eric Brunskill RAF (159480), P/O E Vincent RCAF and P/O John Hawkey RCAF (who were all attached to the ATA) all sustained injuries. John Hawkey sustained serious burns and sadly died the following day of his injuries. He is buried at Chester Blacon Cemetery.
The CWGC online database incorrectly lists John Hawkey as serving with 41 OTU at the time of his death, it should read 41 Group but with a seconding to the ATA. This is confirmed through information given in his service records.
John Hawkey was born on 2nd June 1920 at Parkhill, Ontario, Canada and was the son of John J and Beatrice Belknap (nee Hill) Hawkey. His father had died when he was young and his mother later re-married. After leaving school in 1940 he worked as a salesman for a leather goods company in Parkhill but left after three months to train at the Electronic Institute in Toronto. He enlisted for RCAF service in London, Ontario on 27th February 1941 and after training as a pilot gained his Wings on 19th December 1941. On arrival in the UK in January 1941 he was posted to train at 58 OTU at Grangemouth on 14th April 1942. He was the posted to 243 Squadron on 16th June 1942, 501 Squadron on 27th June 1942, back to 243 Squadron on 30th June 1943 but on 6th July 1942 he was posted to Ouston to await a posting "overseas" (which appears never to have happened). He was then posted to 403 Squadron on 27th August 1942. On 27th November 1942 he was posted away from operational flying to what appears to have been a series of ground-based postings. He received a posting to No.41 Group RAF in February 1943 prior to being seconded to the ATA on 17th March 1943. Over the course of the next few months he appears to have served with a number of the Ferry Pools receiving a commission on 18th November 1943.
Tiger Moth DE138 had a very long service history. It was built to contract B.20916/39 by Morris Motors Ltd. at Cowley and was awaiting collection in December 1941. It was taken on charge by 1458 (F)Flt. at Middle Wallop shortly after completion and was later transferred to 1460 (F)Flt. at Acklington. On 2nd September 19.42 1460 (F) Flt. was re-designated 539 Squadron which remained at Acklington. Later the same month the aircraft was transferred to 403 Squadronat Catterick and sustained Cat.B/FA damage as a result of the mishap on 14th October 1942. After this accident it was dismantled and transported by road for a repair in works and re-emerged in mid-1943 when it became on charge with 317 Squadron. The history for the aircraft becomes a bit vague from here on. During 1944 and 1945 it was on charge with 412 Squadron, latterly in Germany before being flown back to the UK for storage. It was TOC by 11 EFTS at Perth in 1946 and remained with them until the following year when it was place in long term MU storage pending disposal. On 30th March 1951 it was sold on to the civilian market and registered G-AMIX. On 9th April 1951 it was registered to Short & Harland Ltd. at Belfast and remained with them until 18th September 1952. On 9th December 1953 it was registered to Rollason's Ltd., at Croydon but Rollason's sold it on 21st August 1954 to a New Zealand owner and it was transported by sea there, on arrival it was registered ZK-BFA. On 4th May 1965 it crashed at Matamata, North Island, New Zealand and was destroyed by fire.