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| RAF No. 159 Squadron Former Assignments ATA No. 1653 CU 1445 Flight No.10 ADU  RAF September 1942  Greater Asia February 23, 1942 |
Pilot Wing Commander Clifford G. Skinner, 29148 C.O. No. 159 Squadron (MIA / KIA) Bedford Borough, UK Crew F/O Charles Desmond Kenwrick-Cox, 102113 (MIA / KIA) Crew F/Lt Geoffrey Robert Humphries, 82962 (MIA / KIA) Felbridge, UK Crew F/Lt John William Coates, 40716 RNZAF (MIA / KIA) Taranaki, NZ Crew F/Lt George Norman Thompson, 109491 RAFVR (MIA / KIA) Hampstead, UK Crew F/Sgt Hubert Brindle McCreery, 551364 (MIA / KIA) Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Crew Sgt Frederick Merville Christmas, 1164379 RAFVR (MIA / KIA) Parkstone, Dorsetshire, UK Crew F/Sgt Norman Henry Maul, 402114 RNZAF (MIA / KIA) Wellington, NZ Crew F/Sgt David Phillip Doak, 947752 RAFVR (MIA / KIA) Falkirk, Scotland Crashed February 23, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Diego. Constructors Number unknown. On November 3, 1941 accepted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as Liberator II serial number AL581. During November 1941, flown by an personnel from RAF Ferry Command to the United Kingdom. Wartime History On December 5, 1941 assigned to Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). On February 11, 1942, assigned to No. 1653 Conversion Unit with code "M" at Polebrook, Northamptonshire. On June 2, 1942 flown to Burn Airfield in England. On July 5, 1942 while taxing at Burn Airfield, an engine caught fire and the crew stopped the engines and used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire that caused minor damage that was repaired six days later and resumed flying. On September 6, 1942 flown to Prestwick Airfield to a unit based there. On October 25, 1942 assigned to 1445 Flight at Lyneham Airfield and prepared for overseas service. On November 20, 1942 assigned to No. 10 Air Delivery Unit (10 ADU) and took off from Portreath Airfield on a ferry flight bound for India. A week later arrives at RAF Salbani and assigned to No. 159 Squadron. Squadron code "O". No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On February 22, 1943 at 8:45pm took off from RAF Salbani in northeast India piloted by Wing Commander Clifford G. Skinner (C.O. No. 159 Squadron) on a night bombing mission in the early hours of February 23, 1943 against Mingaladon in Burma. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as MIA (MIA). This was the first RAF Liberator lost in India/Burma war-zone. Wreckage After the crash, the Japanese investigated the crash site found the identification card of crew member McCreery. Reportedly, the remains of the crew were buried at the crash site by the Japanese. At least one photograph was taken of the crash site that was later published in Greater Asia on February 28, 1943. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial. Skinner is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 423. Kenwrick-Cox is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 423. Humphries is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 423. Coates is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 431 Thompson is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 423. McCreery is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 425. He is also memorialized at Irongray Churchyard in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Christmas is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 425. Maul is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 432. He is also memorialized at All Saint's Anglican Church on an indoor memorial. Doak is memorialized at Kranji War Cemetery on the Singapore Memorial column 425. References Liberator II for the RAF/LB-30 - AL581 via WayBack Machine December 23, 2023 "AL581 damaged in India Mar 22,1943, and SOC." Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire - July 1942 (AL581) Liberator AL581 at Burn airfield No. 159 Squadron, Operations Record Book (ORB) Form 540, "Summary of Events", February 1943 "22.2.43 AL581 "O" took off on operations. Crew W/Cdr. Skinner, F/O Kenwrick-Cox, F/Lt. Humphries, F/Lt. Coates, F/Lt. Thompson, F/Sgt. McCreery, Sgt. Christmas, F/Sgt. Maul, Sgt. Doak. This aircraft and crew failed to return." Greater Asia [English language weekly newspaper] "Deceiving The World with False Propaganda" includes photo of crashed Liberator, February 28, 1943 "The enemy planes which came to attack Rangoon on the early dawn of February 23rd dropped their bombs and ruined the inner gardens of the pagoda. But one of the enemy bombers was immediately shot down by the Imperial Nippon Military 'Eagles' Air Units." ATIS Interrogation of Japanese Prisoner Of War (POW) designated B344 in Burma "5. Bombing Results. CSDIC(I) B344 (ii) A four-engined American aircraft [U.S. built plane with RAF crew] was shot down in flames during a night-attack on Rangoon and fell roughly 1 1/2 forlongs (.1875 of a mile) N.E. of Kanbe Railway Station. B344 went to see the wreckage the next day when Japanese were taking parts of the aircraft away, and Burmans (apparently without hindrance) were taking money from the pockets of the dead crew. B344 heard that there were nine members of the crew, all of whom were killed (About February, 1943)." CWGC - Clifford George Skinner FindAGrave - Wing Commander Clifford George Skinner (Singapore Memorial photo) CWGC - Charles Desmond Kenwrick-Cox FindAGrave - Charles Desmond Kenwrick-Cox (Singapore Memorial photo) CWGC - Geoffrey Robert Humphries FindAGrave - Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Robert Humphries (Singapore Memorial) CWGC - John William Coates FindAGrave - Flt Lt John William Coates (Singapore Memorial photo) CWGC - George Norman Thompson FindAGrave - George Norman Thompson (Singapore Memorial photo) CWGC - Hubert Brindle McCreery FindAGrave - Hubert Brindle McCreery (Singapore Memorial) FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant Hubert Brindle McCreery (Irongray Churchyard memorial date of death Feb 24 [sic]) CWGC - Frederick Merville Christmas FindAGrave - Sergeant Frederick Merville Christmas (Singapore Memorial photos) CWGC - Norman Henry Maul FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant Norman Henry Maul (Singapore Memorial photos) FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant Norman Henry Maul (All Saint's Anglican Church memorial) CWGC - David Phillip Doak FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant David Phillip Doak (Singapore Memorial) Air War for Burma: The Allied Air Forces Fight Back in South-East Asia 1942-1945 (1992) pages 61, 435 (index Skinner) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated October 24, 2025 |
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