18 December 1940 – 22 Squadron, RAF North Coates – Bristol Beaufort I – L4516 – Sgt D G How – Op Wilhelmshaven.
Location – Crashed near the airfield soon after take off
L4516 pictured at North Coates
Pilot took off at 2020 but one engine failed soon after take off and the aircraft stalled at low altitude crashing about a mile south west of the airfield near Marshchapel. The war load then exploded killing all the crew
Sgt Denis George How RAFVR – Age 23 – Pilot - 22 Sqn – Son of George Alfred and May How, husband of Violet How of Chingford, Essex - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard
Sgt Ralph Gerald Hart RAF – Age 22 – 22 Sqn - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard
Sgt Leonard James Peachey RAFVR – Age 32 – Wop/AG - 22 Sqn - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard
Sgt Paul Victor Renai RAF – Age 22 – Observer - 22 Sqn - Son of Hector Henry Archimede Renai and Susannah Jane Renai of Khandallah, Wellington, New Zealand - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard.
Sgt Denis George How RAFVR grave
Sgt Ralph Gerald Hart RAF grave
Sgt Leonard James Peachey RAFVR grave
Sgt Paul Victor Renai RAF grave.
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Sgt Paul Victor Renai RAF
Cabled advice has been received by Mr. H. H. A. Renai, of Khandallah, of the death of his son, Sergeant Observer Paul Victor Renai, R.A.F., who was killed instantly, together with the rest of the crew, when his plane crashed last week. Sergeant Observer Renai, who was born at Khandallah in 1918, was educated at the Khandallah School and at Wellington College. On leaving school he joined the head office staff of J. R. McKenzie, Ltd., and, after several months' service, was appointed to the staff of J. Duthie and Co., Ltd., where he proved very popular. In April, 1938, he left with his mother for England in order to obtain experience in the hardware trade there. He spent several months in touring England and France, and then finding no opening in the trade he joined the Royal Air Force, in May, 1939. He received his training in the North of Scotland. On the outbreak of war he was finishing his training, and on completion was attached to the Coastal Command as sergeant observer. Recently he passed further tests and obtained his "halfwing." From information just to hand he made two forced landings owing to bad. weather, and in November last on account of engine failure he had another forced landing in which he received injuries necessitating stitches in his forehead. His mother and sister (Mrs. Howard Mallitte) are in England, and attended the funeral service. The deceased was a member of the Khandallah Boy Scouts for several years, and for some time before leaving England was Cub master of the Khandallah corps and brought the pack to a high state of efficiency. He was also a foundation member of the Onslow Soccer Club, and was probably one of the first New Zealand Soccer players to go on active service. A younger brother' of the deceased, Peter Renai, has been serving on the headquarters staff of the RNZAF station at Levin for the past eight months, and an elder brother. Noel has passed his tests as an observer gunner and goes into the same camp shortly.
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Sgt Leonard James Peachey RAFVR
Leonard Peachy was born on 19 October 1909 and joined the staff at London Zoo as an office boy on 17 July 1927. He was subsequently promoted to messenger and finally clerk in 1935. At the time of his death he was a married man living in North London. He is commemorated on the London Zoo staff memorial
Compiled by David Fell with Beaufort photo courtesy of WWP. Info and photo of Renai courtesy of Wikitree. Peachey info courtesy of Ross McNeil and London Zoo
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