LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Ralph Holden NICOLSON MID
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 40938 (RAF)
Born: Date, location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 55 Squadron (RAF)
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 55 Squadron Blenheim IV aircraft V5514), Egypt, 10 May 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Alexandra (Chatby) Military and Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Captain Ralph Howison Nicolson and Ethel May Nicolson, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Blenheim V5514 took off from Landing Ground 95 (Base Landing Ground) with another Blenheim of No. 55 Squadron to return to the Operational Landing Ground (LG 15, Maaten Bagush). The other machine developed engine trouble and the two landed at LG 28 (Burg-el-Arab), both crews (and two passengers) packing into V5514. En route to Maaten Bagush a severe sandstorm was encountered and the aircraft turned back to LG 28 where, attempting a landing in poor light, V5514 hit Magister R1974 parked on the airfield boundary, bounced into another Blenheim, broke up and burst into flames, killing all but one on board.
On board V5514 were:
Leading Aircraftman Edward Buckley (649548) (RAF)
Flight Sergeant Robert Davies (749560) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Sergeant J Davison (RAF) Safe
Flight Sergeant James Dowling Duffy (517479) (RAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Alfred Thomas Bruce Hale (4708) (Wireless Air Gunner) No. 3 Squadron RAAF
Flying Officer Robert Holden Nicolson MID (40938) (RAF) (Pilot V5514)
Flight Sergeant Henry Rhodes DFM (580588) (RAF) (Observer)
Pilot Officer John Lendrum van Breda (60316) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
References:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Gunby D (David) and Pelham Temple, Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, Volume 1 1939-1942, Midland Publishing UK, 2006
RAF Commands Website