Clark, Alfred John (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1946-February-13

Flying Officer Alfred John Clark RCAF

Birth Date: 1924

Born:

Parents: Daniel Alexander & Catherine Margaret Clark, of Cape Dauphin, Victoria Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

435 Sqn- Squadron
Certi Provehendi Detemined on delivery

Base

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

J/36345

Final Burial
Google MapBrookwood Military Cemetery
58 B 10

Dakota C3, KG-397 of 435Sqn crashed at Beech Farm, 2 miles south west of Warlingham, Surrey.

The aircraft hit high ground in cloud on the approach to Croydon Aerodrome. Aircraft was on a passenger run, Buckeburg to Croydon. Forecast was poor and he landed at Manston. After checking weather again he took off at 10:55 flying at 2,500 feet between two layers of 6/10 cloud. Approaching Croydon he tried "Gee" homing but could not pick up "V" beams. Overshot the field, turned about and was letting down when he hit a 12-foot hedge on a 700-foot ridge. The aircraft crossed a valley and struck on the other side against a 650-foot hit. Eight persons were killed, 14 seriously injured and two uninjured.

Passengers and crew: J/36345 Flying Officer A.J. Clark (P) killed J/6168 Squadron Leader R.G. Joyce AFC (P) killed J/26015 F/Lt R.J. Mitchell (NAV) survived J/85422 Flying Officer A.W. Gallup (WOP) survived Mr John Brittain British civilian killed 2205894 Leading Aircraftman G.A Doxey RAF killed 2216688 Leading Aircraftman D. Palmer RAF killed 2113226 Driver D.I.Glover RE killed 131810 Maj Wheeler British Army seriously injured 296381 Cpt Braithwaite British Army seriously injured 643945 Flight Sergeant A. Roberts RAF seriously injured 76623 W/C Brodzicki RAF (Polish) killed (unable to trace) 13379 Maj Gen Chilton British Army slightly injured 81811(?) Maj Howarth British Army slightly injured T/170118 Sergeant Gerard British Army uninjured 5340541 Sergeant Jakubowicz British Army uninjured 7403076 Pte Campbell British Army slightly injured 2016710 Spr L.W.F. Bailey British Army slightly injured 1726079 Gnr N. Fenwick British Army slightly injured 224794 Cpt Francis British Army slightly injured ? Maj Fleming seriously injured ? Pte Jewell slightly injured ? W/C Durdin RAF slightly injured ? Brzezina? fatal

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Unit Desciption

435 Sqn Certi Provehendi ("Chinthe")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Dakota III, IV)

No. 435 was the 34th RCAF squadron formed overseas in WWII. It was the 3rd transport squadron and the second formed in India. It was inaugurated on November 1 1944 at Gujrat, Punjab, India . Based in Tulihal, Manipur, India from 18 December 1944, it flew Dakota aircraft in support of the British 14th Army in northern Burma. After cessation of hostilities in the Far East, the squadron relocated to Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, UK , where it provided transport services in Britain and Europe for Canadian units. It was finally disbanded at Down Ampney on April 1, 1946.

Overall, in Burma the squadron flew 15,681 sorties, airlifted 27,460 tons of freight, 14,000 passengers and 851 casualties. An additional 1018 sorties were flown in England. Casualties were 3 aircraft, 9 aircrew and 6 passengers killed, 2 aircrew and 13 passengers injured. Awards gained by the squadron were 1 MBE, 1 DFC, 1 AFCs and 1 MiD. Battle Honour was Burma 1944-45Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin

Maps for Movements of 435 Squadron 1944-46

MAP 1: 435 Squadron Movements 1944-46 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)

435 Squadron History Summary 1944-46

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Dakota, Boxcar, Hercules)

No. 164 (Transport) Squadron was created on 23 January 1943 at Moncton, New Brunswick . The squadron flew Lodestar and Dakota aircraft on East Coast transport duty. It was the RCAF’s premier transport squadron and the cornerstone of the peacetime Air Transport Command. It provided trained aircrew as the nuclei of other transport units. On 1 August 1946 it was divided into two units, one at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and one at Edmonton, Alberta . The Dartmouth squadron become No. 426 (T) Squadron and the Edmonton detachment was re-designated 435 (Transport) Squadron. It flew Douglas Dakota IV aircraft until 1952, then re-equipped with the Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar. The squadron relocated a few miles north to RCAF Station Namao in 1955. From 1960, it flew Lockheed Hercules C-130B, and from 1966 the Hercules C-130-E. Due to the Chrétien government's budget cuts and the resultant closure of the airfield at CFB Edmonton, the squadron was moved to 17 Wing Winnipeg in 1994. It was re-designated '435 Transport and Rescue Squadron' on 1 May 1995. The squadron is now based at 19 Wing, Comox, British Columbia . 435 Squadron is the only Air Force squadron equipped and trained to conduct air-to-air refuelling of fighter aircraft in support of operational and training activities at home and abroad. The CC-130 Hercules tanker is a key asset for the Canadian NORAD Region in its mission to defend Canada and the United States against aerial threats that originate outside or within North American airspace. The Squadron has been operating the tankers in support of fighter operations since 1992.

For additional details see

Unvetted Source RCAF Government website

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