Langland Bay - 19th December 1945

 The Second World War is over, VE Day has been ‘celebrated’ during May 1945, followed by VJ Day, that August.

Miles M.50 Queen Martinet RH123

However, 19th December 1945, over the sea at Langland, a Miles M.50 Queen Martinet RH123 of the 773 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy was lost over the sea at Langland.

Flight RH123, took off from Woodley Aerodrome, Reading, Berkshire flying to RAF Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, when it suffered from fuel problems and had to ditch into the sea.

Woodley Aerodrome, Berkshire 
credit - Google Maps
Woodley, Berkshire was a village of little significance, however, during 1929, that the 100-acre Woodley Aerodrome first opened. Jack Phillips and Charles Powis first started the business, The Phillips and Powis Flying School.  1932, the aircraft designer, F. G. Miles came to Woodley to establish the newly Aircraft Workshop. The name changed to Miles Aircraft Ltd by 1943. Years before the outbreak of the Second World War, pilots Charles Lindbergh and Amy Johnson came to the airfield.  It was here that Douglas Bader was to lose both his legs in a flying accident during 1931.  Bader officially opened the aerodrome at Swansa during 1957, after the County of Swansea took over the aerodrome.

From 1933 to 1962, 6,000 civil and military aircrafts were built at Woodley Aerodrome, the Phillips & Powis factory installed Britain’s first moving track assembly line for aircraft production, to build the Miles Mister.

RAF Manorbier, Pembrokeshire 
Credit - Google Maps
RAF Manorbier was a RAF aircraft situated the village of Manorbier, Pembrokeshire. The airfield was first used during 1933 in both mixed civilian and military purposes.

The airfield consisted of grass runaways and there were canvas tents. From the spring 1937, the anti-aircraft training school and the No.1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF based at the airfield. The unit operated the pilot-less radio controlled de Havilland Queen Bees, which were used for anti-aircraft gunnery practice. By 1940, the runaway was enlarged.

No. 595 Squadron occupied the airfield from 1943, leaving 1946.

The pilot of Flight RH123, was Squadron Leader Ronald Frederick Clarke, ferry pilot.  Sadly, before he could be rescued Ronald, drowned.  Ronald ‘s missions and duties during the Second World War had been flying supplies to General Wingate’s Chindits in Burma, also to fly supplies to the besieged garrison in Malta.

Ronald ‘s name was to appear in several of the London Gazettes – 14th November 1939, 8th October 1940, 16th December 1941 and 7th January 1944.

Ronald Frederick Clarke
Alderholt Congregational Chapelyard
credit - findgrave
Ronald, 28, was the son Frederick and Grace Clarke, husband of Betty Clarke.  Buried at Alderholt Congregational Chapelyard.

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