LEST WE FORGET
Aircraft Accident (No. 487 Squadron Ventura aircraft AJ171), Suffolk, 20 January 1943
On 20 January 1943, Squadron Ventura AJ171, operated by No. 487 Squadron (RNZAF) and on loan to No. 464 Squadron, crashed when carrying out local formation flying from RAF Feltwell. The aircraft was flying number two in a formation making a low-level dummy attack on Corby steel works and collided with a 65 feet high tree and crashed at 1145 hours near King’s Forest Lodge, 5 miles NW of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Two of the crew members were killed and the Navigator was seriously injured.
The crew members of AJ171 were:
Sergeant Gerald John Abrey (1385479) (RAFVR) (Pilot) No. 464 Squadron
Sergeant Howard Aldridge (R/115486) (RCAF) (Navigator) Seriously injured, No. 487 Squadron RNZAF
Flying Officer Frederick Douglas Drake (J/12307) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) No. 487 Squadron RNZAF
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Chorley W R, Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War – Volume 4 Aircraft and Aircrew Losses 1943, Midland Counties Publications, 1997
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Bibliography:
Lax, M. (Mark) and Leon Kane-Maguire The Gestapo Hunters: 464 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 1999