Gibraltar War Memorial
Aces High, A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces of WWII by Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, Volume 1, page 325
Hetherington, Eric Lawson, "Hether" (Flight Lieutenant)
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-October-31
Birth Date: 1918
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
249 (F) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Pugnis Et Calcibus With fists and heels
Base
RAF Takali, Malta
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
102091
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Mission
Liberator C. Mk. II AL516
Transport 1942-October-31 to 1942-October-31
511 (T) Sqn (RAF) RAF Takali, Malta
511 Squadron RAF (Surely and Quickly) Alexandria, Egypt. Liberator II AL516 was transporting a mix of passengers and crew of RCAF, RAF and RAAF very experienced, wounded and end-of-tour fighter pilots as well as some civilians, including military wives and two children, from Malta to Gibraltar. Arriving at Gibraltar in a thunderstorm, the Liberator overshot it's landing and crashed into the sea, killing fourteen aboard and resulting in various injuries to most survivors. The flight had intended to travel from Malta to Gibraltar before continuing to England. Some aboard were missing, not recovered but are commemorated on the Gibraltar Memorial (Shores, Cull & Malizia; Dennis Burke www.rafcommands.com)
The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service by James D Oughton with John Hamlin and Andrew Thomas, page 100
Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire
Royal Air Force Serials and Image Database
Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator II in Gibraltar: 14 killed I...
Killed - military and civilian:
- Warrant Officer 2 Rupert Henry Davey (RCAF)
- Flying Officer Edwin Herbert Glazebrook DFC (RCAF)
- Pilot Officer John William Williams DFC (RCAF)
- Flight Sergeant Charles Edward Mutch (RCAF)
- Flight Lieutenant Erik Lawson Hetherington DFC (RAF)
- Sergeant David William James Spencer (RAF)
- Mr Edward James Rowe BEM age 40
- Mrs Hannah Eunice Rowe age 44
- Mrs Elizabeth Pricilla Sheldon (widow of Herbert Sheldon)
- Mrs Mabel Hucklebridge age 30
- Mrs Isabella Josephine Aston and her baby son Simon Aston, age 2 (Isabella was Maltese wife of FAA Pilot)
- Mrs Edna Patricia Chase age 27 and her baby son Thomas Chase
Survived - military and civilian:
- Flight Lieutenant Rae Walton MC (RAF - crew, injured)
- Flight Lieutenant George William Robert Frampton (RAF - crew, injured)
- Pilot Officer EJ Sanders (RAF - crew)
- Sergeant EJ Booker (RAF-crew)
- Flight Sergeant I Watson (RAF - crew)
- Flight Sergeant J McCulloch (RAF - crew)
- Mrs DWJ Spencer, injured
- Mrs J Neighbours, injured
- Flight Sergeant LG Pow (RCAF)
- Flight Lieutenant AF Roscoe DFC (RCAF) (USA),
- Pilot Officer GF 'Buzz' Beurling DSO DFC DFM and Bar RAF (Canada)
- Warrant Officer 2 GHT 'Gord' Farquharson (RCAF)
- Wing Commander AH Donaldson DSO DFC AFC (RAF)
- Flying Officer FR Johnson (RAAF)
- Flying Officer AS Yates (RAAF)
- Flying Officer CAM Barbour (RAF)
- Flying Officer JGW Farmer (RAF)
- Flying Officer JAH Pinney (RAF)
- Pilot Officer FD Thomas (RAF)
- Pilot Officer LS Reid (RAAF)
- Pilot Officer CF Bush (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant DA Bye (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant AW Varey (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant EL Mahar (RAAF)
- Sergeant KR Mitchell (RAAF)
- Sergeant FW Clewley (RAAF)
Liberator AL516 C. Mk. II - Transport - 1942-10-31 to 1942-10-31
Squadron: 511 (T) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1942-10-31
Completion Date: 1942-10-31
Mission: Transport
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Takali, Malta
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Spain
Crash Specifics: Mediterranean Sea at Gibraltar
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: weather
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
511 Squadron RAF (Surely and Quickly) Alexandria, Egypt. Liberator II AL516 was transporting a mix of passengers and crew of RCAF, RAF and RAAF very experienced, wounded and end-of-tour fighter pilots as well as some civilians, including military wives and two children, from Malta to Gibraltar. Arriving at Gibraltar in a thunderstorm, the Liberator overshot it's landing and crashed into the sea, killing fourteen aboard and resulting in various injuries to most survivors. The flight had intended to travel from Malta to Gibraltar before continuing to England. Some aboard were missing, not recovered but are commemorated on the Gibraltar Memorial (Shores, Cull & Malizia; Dennis Burke www.rafcommands.com)
The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service by James D Oughton with John Hamlin and Andrew Thomas, page 100
Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire
Royal Air Force Serials and Image Database
Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator II in Gibraltar: 14 killed I...
Killed - military and civilian:
- Warrant Officer 2 Rupert Henry Davey (RCAF)
- Flying Officer Edwin Herbert Glazebrook DFC (RCAF)
- Pilot Officer John William Williams DFC (RCAF)
- Flight Sergeant Charles Edward Mutch (RCAF)
- Flight Lieutenant Erik Lawson Hetherington DFC (RAF)
- Sergeant David William James Spencer (RAF)
- Mr Edward James Rowe BEM age 40
- Mrs Hannah Eunice Rowe age 44
- Mrs Elizabeth Pricilla Sheldon (widow of Herbert Sheldon)
- Mrs Mabel Hucklebridge age 30
- Mrs Isabella Josephine Aston and her baby son Simon Aston, age 2 (Isabella was Maltese wife of FAA Pilot)
- Mrs Edna Patricia Chase age 27 and her baby son Thomas Chase
Survived - military and civilian:
- Flight Lieutenant Rae Walton MC (RAF - crew, injured)
- Flight Lieutenant George William Robert Frampton (RAF - crew, injured)
- Pilot Officer EJ Sanders (RAF - crew)
- Sergeant EJ Booker (RAF-crew)
- Flight Sergeant I Watson (RAF - crew)
- Flight Sergeant J McCulloch (RAF - crew)
- Mrs DWJ Spencer, injured
- Mrs J Neighbours, injured
- Flight Sergeant LG Pow (RCAF)
- Flight Lieutenant AF Roscoe DFC (RCAF) (USA),
- Pilot Officer GF 'Buzz' Beurling DSO DFC DFM and Bar RAF (Canada)
- Warrant Officer 2 GHT 'Gord' Farquharson (RCAF)
- Wing Commander AH Donaldson DSO DFC AFC (RAF)
- Flying Officer FR Johnson (RAAF)
- Flying Officer AS Yates (RAAF)
- Flying Officer CAM Barbour (RAF)
- Flying Officer JGW Farmer (RAF)
- Flying Officer JAH Pinney (RAF)
- Pilot Officer FD Thomas (RAF)
- Pilot Officer LS Reid (RAAF)
- Pilot Officer CF Bush (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant DA Bye (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant AW Varey (RAF)
- Flight Sergeant EL Mahar (RAAF)
- Sergeant KR Mitchell (RAAF)
- Sergeant FW Clewley (RAAF)