30th July 1940 – HMS Peregrine RAF North Coates – Fairey Swordfish I - L2759/P1461 – Lt D Groome/S/Lt J Gaillard – Practise Bombing.
Location – Collided during practise dive bombing exercise south east of North Coates airfield
At this time RAF North Coates was used by a variety of units, mostly RAF Coastal Command mostly RAF, but including Fleet Air Arm and Royal Canadian Air Force units, flying a variety of aircraft, mainly Beauforts and Hudsons and also Hampden and Swordfish torpedo bombers, Avro Anson reconnaissance aircraft and Maryland light bombers. The airfield was situated very close to the Bombing and Gunnery Range at Donna Nook
The two aircraft were involved in a practise dive bombing duty as a pair and both aircraft collided. Crashed near Wragholme roughly between North Coates and Donna Nook. No survivors.
L2759
Lt Denman Groome FAA – Pilot – 27 – HMS Peregrine - Son of Frederick Thompson Groome and Katie Maud Groome; stepson of Catherine Mary Groome of Fareham, Hampshire – North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard, Lincolnshire
Lt John Hickman Barnes FAA – Observer – 26 - HMS Peregrine - Son of Lionel Hickman Barnes and Eva Winifred Barnes, of Chertsey; husband of Mita Barnes, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S – Chertsey St Stepens Church Burial Ground, Surrey.
P4161
S/Lt John Galliard FAA – Pilot – 25 – HMS Peregrine - Son of Frank and Matilda Gaillard, of Banstead, Surrey. A.M.I.Mech. E. - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard, Lincolnshire
S/Lt Roy Murray Andrews FAA – Observer – 24 – HMS Peregrine - Son of Ralph Raymond and Ethel Maud Andrews, of Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire; husband of Ruby Joyce Andrews - North Cotes St Nicholas Churchyard, Lincolnshire
North Cotes Church
Commonwealth War Graves plot at North Cotes Parish Church
Groome Grave
Gaillard Grave
Andrews Grave
HMS Peregrine was the FAA establishment at RAF Ford airfield and there are indications the two aircraft and crews were attached to 812 Squadron FAA at the time of the crash
Compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive
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