HMS Fernieness/HMS President III/HMS Jackdaw

[Kieron Hill]

Hi Guys,

I was looking a bit more into my grandads services as a DEM and
HMS President III and I came across this wartime tragedy. There
are three names missing from this list so can anyone fill in the missing
servicemans names and anymore information

During WW2 Ferny Ness, East Lothian was used as a dive bombing range (Fleet Air Arm) and a Naval Gunnery Practice Range. The spellings 'Fernie Ness' or 'Fernieness' were used as a ploy to confuse the Germans as to its location.

A report about the accident at H.M.S. Fernieness on 27 April 1943:

"On 27/04/43 a Fleet Air Arm aircraft was practising dive bombing at the range. It had successfully completed one pass. On the second it lost control and crashed in front of an SMT bus, bounced and hit the bus.

In the ensuing fire 14 lost their lives".
: poppy:

Details of the air crash:

Fleet Air Arm, 770 Squadron, H.M.S. Jackdaw, air crash


HARTLEY, Robert, Acting Leading Airman (Aged 20) H.M.S. Jackdaw
Fleet Air Arm / FX 86655, killed
Additional details - Son of Robert and Margaret Ann Hartley, of Gipsyville, Hull
(Remembered with honour HULL NORTHERN CEMETERY, Compt. 157. Grave 32.)

JOLL, Kenneth R., Temporary Sub Lieutenant (A) (Aged 20) H.M.S. Jackdaw
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, killed
Additional details - Son of Eustace Sanders Joll and Winifred Joll. of Northampton.
(Remembered with honour ABINGTON (SS. PETER AND PAUL) CHURCHYARD, Grave 1538)


Details of some of the others killed as a result of the accident:

BESWICK, Ernest, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 223520 (Age unknown)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Next of kin details not listed on CWGC records
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Coll. grave 803).

BROOKES, David, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), D/JX 338095 (Age 20)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of David and Maria Brookes, of Stourbridge, Worcestershire.
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Coll. grave 803)

CARR, Ernest G., Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), P/JX 201363 (Age 23)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of Ernest Lawrence Carr and Marion Garbutt Carr, of Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
Mentioned in Despatches
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Coll. grave 803)

CURRAN, Patrick, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), D/JX 337908 (Age unknown)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Next of kin details not listed on CWGC details
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Coll. Grave 806)

DODSON, Leslie J., Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), P/JX 289242 (Age 23)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of John Henry and Ethel May Dodson, husband of Ivy Joan Dodson, of Gosport.
(Remembered with honour GOSPORT (ANN'S HILL) CEMETERY Plot 188. Grave 71).

KENNAN, Patrick, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), P/JX 2230 (Age 28)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of Patrick and Catherine Keenan, of Glasgow.
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Grave 718).

LAVERACK, Walter, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 262492 (Age unknown)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of Walter and Sissey Laverack; husband of C. Laverack, of Drax.
(Remembered with honour RAWCLIFFE CEMETERY, Row C. Unconsecrated Grave 42).

MACLEOD, John, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 289681 (Age 30)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of Mr and Mrs. John MacLeod; husband of Margaret MacLeod, of Leith, Edinburgh.
(Remembered with honour EDINBURGH (SEAFIELD) CEMETERY Sec. P. Grave 686).

RUDD, Alexander, Acting Able Seaman (DEMS), P/JX 334136 (Age 20)
(HMS President III, O/P), killed
Additional details - Son of Alexander and Hannah Rudd, of Frizington.
(Remembered with honour FRIZINGTON (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD, Grave C.3)

[Martin Elliget]

Hi Keiron.

I can't help with the missing names but, for what it's worth (know how newspaper reports can be a bit dodgey at Times):

The Times, Thursday, Apr 29, 1943
AIRCRAFT CRASH ON NAVY BUS
TEN SERVICE MEN AND DRIVER KILLED

Eight naval ratings, two R.A.F. men,
and a bus driver were killed when an
aircraft crashed into a stationary bus in
south-east Scotland on Tuesday after-
noon, setting the bus on fire. Eighteen
other men who were in the bus escaped,
although six of them were badly injured
and were stated yesterday to be still in a
serious condition. The occupants of the
aeroplane were among those killed.

The accident happened shortly after 4
o'clock, when naval ratings who were under-
going a gunnery course at a naval depot had
settled down in the bus for the return journey
after the day's work. The aircraft came down
out of control and crashed on to the bus.

Blazing petrol from the crashed aircraft set
fire to the bus while the passengers were
struggling to get out. Men from the training
depot rescued six of the injured and 12 others
managed to smash their way out with only
slight injuries. Several of them suffered from
shock and were taken to hospital. No attempt
could be made to reach the other men until
the flames had died down.

Ambulances from a Polish Red Cross
station in the district were quickly on the
scene, and the injured men were taken to a
Polish Red Cross hospital. A number of the
injured, after receiving treatment, were re-
moved to the nearest town. Two of them
died on the way.


regards,
Martin

[Kieron Hill]

So some of them got out alive, its a
shame because I can not seem to find
much info, maybe Kew might have something
seeing they were attached to HMS President III

thanks again Martin

Regards
Kieron

[Martin Elliget]

Originally Posted by Kieron Hill

So some of them got out alive, its a
shame..

I did a double-take at that sentence!

I did previously search the NA catalogue for accident 1943 but didn't find anything specific, though there were what appeared to be general files on accident investigations, etc. (both ADM and AIR). Perhaps you could leaf through these files if you visit.

Good luck.

Martin

[Kieron Hill]

Sorry I didn't mean it that way

Martin I found this site on HMS Jackdaw
very interesting I think you'll agree

HMS Jackdaw, Crail, Fife – WW1/ WW2 Aerodrome, April 2008 - Derelict Places

[Martin Elliget]

Yes a very interesting site, Kieron. I like the idea. So it later became HMS Bruce - I realise the obvious Scottish origins of this name but that almost sounds Australian.

Thanks.

[Gill Park]

I hope you dont mind me contributing to this old thread. I came across it when looking for any information about my grandad who was Walter Laverack, one of the men killed in this incident. My mum was about 6 years old when he died and seems to think there is some sort of plaque at the side of the road where this happened and she has always wanted to visit it. She always thought it was somewhere near Leith but hasnt been able to find any more information, if anyone knows anymore I would be grateful to find out. I would think if there is any sort of memorial it will be somewhere near Ferny Ness as mentioned in this thread.

Thanks, Gill

[arkrite]

The Scottish War Graves Project :: View topic - Seafield Cemetery, Leith, Edinburgh
East of Scotland Aviation Research
Found these links, hope they work. The post states that some names from the accident are given on the memorial . It would appear they are additions to a WW1 CWGC memorial.
East of Scotland Aviation Research
The second link relates to enthusiasts wishing to erect a memorial..I do hope they had their wish come true.

[Gill Park]

Originally Posted by arkrite

The Scottish War Graves Project :: View topic - Seafield Cemetery, Leith, Edinburgh
East of Scotland Aviation Research
Found these links, hope they work. The post states that some names from the accident are given on the memorial . It would appear they are additions to a WW1 CWGC memorial.
East of Scotland Aviation Research
The second link relates to enthusiasts wishing to erect a memorial..I do hope they had their wish come true.

This will be a great help and is very interesting, thanks so much for taking the time to find this and reply.

Gill