6 Group Unavailable
45 Group RAF Transport Command, Dorval, Quebec. Liberator II aircraft AL591 was engaged in a Return Ferry Service flight, bringing a mix of civilian and military pilots, navigators, radio operators and flight engineers from Prestwick, Scotland to Gander, Newfoundland. The weather conditions were poor at Gander with low visibility due to a severe snow storm, but short on fuel, diverting to another airport was not possible. Sadly, AL591 crashed on approach ten miles north-east of Gander, killing most of those aboard. The weather conditions further hampered search efforts, which could not begin for two after the crash. Amazingly, there were three survivors but one died later in hospital, which meant that nineteen of the twenty-one aboard the aircraft were lost
Flight Sergeant WH Kyle (RCAF), Flying Officer RI Scott (RCAF), American civilian Pilot/Captain FA Dugan, Sergeant JA Elding (RAFVR), British civilian GP Eves, British civilian TR Barnes, Sergeant HL Lewis (RAFVR), American civilian RM Lloyd, Sergeant DJ Owen (RAF), American civilian J Stagner, British Civilian FJ Brown, Canadian civilian F Scrafton, British civilian R Wadsworth, Canadian civilian EG Longley, British civilian JB Merriman, Canadian civilian IW Wilson and a passenger, British Army officer Lieutenant-Colonel LT Grove were killed in this flying accident
Sergeant GP Pollard (RAF), a pilot, had initially survived the crash but succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital 1943-02-11
Captain KE Parker Jr (USA) and Flying Officer CM Ableson (RAF) survived the crash with injuries
Note: no other information has been found to date about these two survivors
The crash of Liberator AL591 1943-02-09 was the largest loss of life at Gander during the entire war
Ocean Bridge, The History of RAF Ferry Command by Carl A Christie pages 317, 391
The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service by James D Oughton with John Hamlin and Andrew Thomas page 111
North Atlantic Cat by Don McVicar, Chapter 15 pages 106-113
{Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
Gander Airport Historical Society