Cookson, Ernest
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-11-23
Birth Date: 1917
Born:
John & Eleanor Cookson
Home: Preston, Lancashire, England (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
14 (MP) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
I Spread My Wings And Keep My Promise
Base
RAF Landing Ground 224, Abu Sieur, Egypt
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
987398
First Burial
Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Suez, El Suweis, Egypt
Took off from LG224 for low level bombing practice at Shallufa Bombing range, Egypt.
On one bombing run, a nearby observer saw the Marauder's tail fin snap off and the aircraft crash. Marauders were grounded until the tail fin assembly was reinforced.
Killed includes Cookson:Flying Officer William Richardson Bower RCAF J/8763 pilot KIA Suez War Memorial Cemetery Egypt grave 2. D. 5.Warrant Officer Class 2 Douglas Leroy Rawson RCAF R/69258 pilot KIA Suez War Memorial Cemetery grave 2. D. 4.Sergeant Hugh Garth Williams RAF KIA Suez War Memorial Cemetery grave 2. D. 6.Flying Officer Peter Mckenzie Willis RAF KIA Suez War Memorial Cemetery grave 2. D. 7.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Marauder Mk. I FK122
Operational 1942-November-23 to 1942-November-23
14 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Landing Ground 224
14 Squadron (I Spread My Wings And Keep My Promise) RAF Landing Ground 224. Warrant Officer Class 2 DL Rawson (RCAF), Flying Officer WR Bower (RCAF), Sergeant E Cookson (RAFVR), Sergeant HG Williams (RAFVR) and Flying Officer PM Willis (RAFVR) were all killed when their B26A Marauder aircraft FK 122 crashed near Shallufa, Egypt. The tail fin separated from the fuselage during a low-level bombing practice, killing the entire crew
In a post in RAF Commands COL BRUGGY on 9th September 2011 states:"An Inquiry reported in due course and as a result all the Marauders were grounded to have the tail fins strengthened. The Glenn Martin Aircraft Corporation in the USA flew technicians to Egypt, who completed the necessary modifications to all the aircraft in a few days. Unfortunately this was not done until after two more aircraft had been lost with the loss of 21 lives"
Royal Air Force - RAF I Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives
Marauder I FK122 [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
Marauder FK122
Martin Marauder
Martin Marauder Mk. I, RAF (Serial No. FK375), coded D, "Dominion Revenge", No. 14 Squadron, based at Fayid, Egypt, 28 Dec 1942. This aircraft was lost during a torpedo attack off Aghios Giorgios Island on 3 Jan 1943.
Martin B-26 Marauder Mk. I, IA, II, III, RAF. Only two RAF squadrons were equipped with the Marauder, both in the Desert Air Force, and only one Marauder squadron was ever active at any one time. The RAF received three B-26As for evaluation in the summer of 1942 and decided to adopt the type for tactical work in North Africa. Forty eight Marauder Is and IAs already allocated under lend lease were sent directly to the Middle East, where they were used by No.14 Squadron.
In RAF and Commonwealth service the B-26A was known as the Marauder Mk. I, the B-26B as the Marauder Mk. IA. A total of 52 Mk Is and IAs were received. The 250 B-26Fs delivered were known as the Marauder Mk. II and the 150 B-26Gs became the Marauder Mk. III. The Mk. I/IA and Mk. III were flown by the RAF while the South African Air Force (SAAF) received the Mk. II and Mk. III.
The only RAF squadrons to use the Marauder were Nos. 14 and 39 Squadrons of the Desert Air Force. No.14 was the first to receive the type in August 1942. Operations began on 28 October 1942 and the squadron used its Marauders for bombing, mine laying and shipping reconnaissance. In March 1943 the squadron moved to Algeria, where it began flying anti-submarine patrols. These continued after the squadron moved to Sardinia in June 43, and the last Marauder mission was flown on 21 September 1944, just before the squadron returned to the UK to convert to the Wellington.
No. 39 Squadron RAF acquired Marauders in December 1944, but the first Marauder mission wasn't flown until 7 February 1945. The squadron carried out shipping strikes along the French, Italian and Balkan coasts, alongside night intruder missions, and retained the Marauder until October 1945 when it moved to the Sudan.Harold Skaarup web page
Marauder
Wikipedia Marauder Marauder FK122 Mk. I - Operational - 1942-11-23 to 1942-11-23
6 Group Unavailable
14 Squadron (I Spread My Wings And Keep My Promise) RAF Landing Ground 224. Warrant Officer Class 2 DL Rawson (RCAF), Flying Officer WR Bower (RCAF), Sergeant E Cookson (RAFVR), Sergeant HG Williams (RAFVR) and Flying Officer PM Willis (RAFVR) were all killed when their B26A Marauder aircraft FK 122 crashed near Shallufa, Egypt. The tail fin separated from the fuselage during a low-level bombing practice, killing the entire crew
In a post in RAF Commands COL BRUGGY on 9th September 2011 states:"An Inquiry reported in due course and as a result all the Marauders were grounded to have the tail fins strengthened. The Glenn Martin Aircraft Corporation in the USA flew technicians to Egypt, who completed the necessary modifications to all the aircraft in a few days. Unfortunately this was not done until after two more aircraft had been lost with the loss of 21 lives"
Royal Air Force - RAF I Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives
Marauder I FK122 [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...