Douglas Boston crash, Italy 1944

[shed driver]

I'm in the process of digitising my Grandfather's WW2 diaries. One of the entries covers the crash (May 6th 1944) of a Boston close to Naples. Does anyone have any info?



If there's any interest I'll happily post the diaries in the near future.

SD.

[NDA]

'But parachute did not open...'

A tragedy, a line on an old notebook.

So sad.

Utterly fascinating too.

The handwriting too! Reminds me of my grandmothers handwriting - beautiful and seemingly effortless.

[drdino]

There's this one but the description doesn't match unfortunately:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/174212

[shed driver]

drdino said:

There's this one but the description doesn't match unfortunately:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/174212

If the diary was written afterwards could this be it? Fantastic site by the way - never seen that before - there's my weekend gone!
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/389214

SD.

[DavieBNL]

Remember, if you are searching, it could actually have been a Havok rather than a Boston, from a distance it looks hard to tell the difference.

[GliderRider]

DavieBNL said:

Remember, if you are searching, it could actually have been a Havok rather than a Boston, from a distance it looks hard to tell the difference.

Not wishing to be pedantic, however it has always been written Havoc in the past.

[DavieBNL]

GliderRider said:

DavieBNL said:

Remember, if you are searching, it could actually have been a Havok rather than a Boston, from a distance it looks hard to tell the difference.

Not wishing to be pedantic, however it has always been written Havoc in the past.

Correct, I made a typing error, apologies.

[hidetheelephants]

DavieBNL said:

Remember, if you are searching, it could actually have been a Havok rather than a Boston, from a distance it looks hard to tell the difference.

There's also a chance it's any other random twin engined aircraft, identification isn't easy. What was grandfather's role/rank/etc?

[shed driver]

hidetheelephants said:

There's also a chance it's any other random twin engined aircraft, identification isn't easy. What was grandfather's role/rank/etc?

I would hope he knew his aircraft, he was an anti aircraft gunner with the Royal Artillery.

SD.

[hidetheelephants]

shed driver said:

hidetheelephants said:

There's also a chance it's any other random twin engined aircraft, identification isn't easy. What was grandfather's role/rank/etc?

I would hope he knew his aircraft, he was an anti aircraft gunner with the Royal Artillery.

SD.

From more than a few thousand feet there's not much between a Boston, a Marauder and an Invader for example, although an AA gunner would be as well versed in identifying them as anyone. My great uncle was an AA gunner too, sadly he didn't keep a diary or if he did grandma disposed of it.

[dirky dirk]

Hi yes id love to hear about them
I could probably put you in touch with a super podcaster who could well doa feature on it

[Jaaws]

Johnny Wallington, who committed suicide on 27th May age 22.

See the last entry on the right hand page.

RIP

[Simpo Two]

Jaaws said:

Johnny Wallington, who committed suicide on 27th May age 22.

See the last entry on the right hand page.

RIP

Something from Italy on the same day: https://www.facebook.com/WW2colourisedphotos/posts...

[shed driver]

Jaaws said:

Johnny Wallington, who committed suicide on 27th May age 22.

See the last entry on the right hand page.

RIP

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2240210/john-patrick-wallington/










SD.

[Simpo Two]

Wow, excellent detective work.

There's a fair chance the pilot is there too.

[DavieBNL]

Hmm yes, let's just hope his relatives are aware, circumstances don't seem to be recorded anywhere above other than a personal diary.

[Simpo Two]

DavieBNL said:

Hmm yes, let's just hope his relatives are aware, circumstances don't seem to be recorded anywhere above other than a personal diary.

Though if you mean the pilot, his crew survived to tell the story. It will be in a squadron record somewhere I'm sure.

[DavieBNL]

Simpo Two said:

DavieBNL said:

Hmm yes, let's just hope his relatives are aware, circumstances don't seem to be recorded anywhere above other than a personal diary.

Though if you mean the pilot, his crew survived to tell the story. It will be in a squadron record somewhere I'm sure.

..no I'm referring to the poor old 22 year old gunner mentioned above. Maybe it's just me but personally think it may have been circumspect to cover over the circumstances recorded in a personal diary.

[Simpo Two]

DavieBNL said:

Maybe it's just me but personally think it may have been circumspect to cover over the circumstances recorded in a personal diary.

But then the family, or researchers, would never have any chance of finding out what happened. Truth is always best IMHO - especially as this was 1944 not recent. It's unlikely anyone alive today would remember him.

[shed driver]

Looking on the CWGC website his next of kin are his parents. No mention of a wife or children.

I'll try and have a dig around and see if there were any other family.

The later parts of his diaries get a little bit darker, involving the forcible return of Russian deserters to the Russian forces. Sending them at gun point to likely execution.

When I've got everything collated I'll make a new thread.

SD.