At 03.05hrs on 18th August 1943 this 18 O.T.U. aircraft was taking off with the crew tasked with a local night circuit flying exercise, but the aircraft entered a swing before it left the runway, the starboard main tyre burst and the undercarriage collapsed. After this incident the damage was not repaired and it was written off.
Instructor Pilot - F/Lt W J Stevens (Probably Acting F/Lt William John James Stevens DFM RAFVR (119009)).
Pupil Pilot - P/O Kenyon Bowen-Bravery RAFVR (144932).
The William Stevens I take a punt on being the instructor at 18 OTU was awarded the DFM for service with 38 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th July 1941, flying Wellingtons. He then received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 20th March 1942 and rose to F/O on 20th September 1942 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 20th March 1944. He was probably in the rank of Acting F/Lt in August 1943. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 8th June 1944 and then awarded the DFC for service with 625 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th February 1945. He remained in the RAFVR until 16th May 1952.
Kenyon Bowen-Bravery was born in December 1922 in Cardiff. Having joined the RAF in 1941 he trained at Cranwell, receiving a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 27th May 1943 and later rose to F/O on 27th November 1943. He was training at 18 OTU in August 1943 when the mishap at Finningley occurred and was then posted to 1667 HCU to continue his training before posting to 550 Squadron on 18th December 1943. He was serving with 550 Squadron around the time of D-Day and was credited with flying one of the first aircraft to attack targets in support of the invasion and he was later awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He was also awarded the DFC for service with 550 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th September 1944. He was promoted to F/Lt on 27th May 1945 and flew with 31 Squadron before leaving the RAF. He later worked in developing television networks across the world. He died in September 2013.
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