Alan James PRYDE Pilot Officer, 2nd Pilot (Pupil) 436583. Royal Australian Air Force. attached to
RAF 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim.
Born 18 November 1912 to Harry Ewart Gladstone and Margaret Mary Pryde, of Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia.
He was part of a crew of eleven in a Repatriation Aircraft Liberator KG896 which crashed near the vicinity of Tornagrough (Town land near Hannastown Co Antrim 19 March 1945, he was aged 23 years. At rest in Eglantine Church of Ireland Cemetery County Down Northern Ireland.
Notes from his service records.
Enlisted 13 February 1943 at No 4 RAAF Recruitment Centre, Perth into the Citizens Air Force as Aircraftman Class 2 aged 21 years and 2 months, civilian occupation farmer. Previously enlisted 2 January 1942 into 54th Australian Infantry Battalion. Discharged 6 February 1943 at Private for enlistment into the Citizen Air Force.(RAAF).
Postings
1943
17 January 1943 promoted to Leading Aircraftman
22 March 1943 posted from No 4 Recruitment Centre to 25 Squadron RAAF Base Pearce, Perth Western Australia.
24 April 1943 posted to No 4 Service Flying Training School RAAF at Victor Harbour
22 July 1943 with No I Elementary Fling School, Parafield, South Australia
21 October 1943 at No. 2 Embarkation Depot (2 E.D.), Bradfield Park, Sydney, New South Wales for posting to Canada for training with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
19 November 1943 Disembarked Canada posted No 15 (SFTS) Service Flying Training School, Claresholm, Canada
1944
4 May 1944 Discharged from the Citizen Air Force RAAF under Air Force Regulations No 115(M) on being granted a commission.
5 May 1944 commissioned to Pilot Officer, awarded the Flying Badge (His wings) Flying training in Anson, Mitchel and Liberator.
26 May 1944 posted from 15 SFTS to (No 1 GRS), No. 1 General Reconnaissance School RCAF Summerside
11 August 1944 posted to No 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Embarkation Depot
August posted to Canada for training with the Royal Canadian Air Force
28 August 1944 attached to 111 (Canadian) Operation Training Unit RCAF
29 November 1945 posted to 45 Group, Derval !!
1945
11 January 1945 Embarked Halifax for UK.
18 January 1945 Disembarked in UK, posted and posted the same day to ( No 11 PDRC) No. 11 Personnel Despatch and Receiving Centre RAAF, Brighton for deployment to his RAF attachment.
13 February 1945 posted to Northern Ireland and attached to 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit, at RAF Aldergrove, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
His records show the following in (Movements, Transfers and Miscellaneous items)
Embarked from Canada for UK according to advice received between 23 August 1944 and 6 September 1944. Nominal Roll 58/44. Emplaned for India via UK Nominal Roll 66/45. 111 OUT. Embarked from Canada for UK according to advice received between 17 January 1945 and 31 January 1945. Nominal Roll 68/45. Embarked Warsaw 29 November 1944 disembarked Miami 30 November 1944. Entrained Miami 1 December 1944 detrained Montreal 4 December 1944 45 Group Nominal Roll 29/45 19 March 1945 killed aircraft accident nr Belfast Ireland Nominal Roll 82 Type of course 1674 HCU Nominal Roll 29/45
His records do not show any movement for him to India or the USA.
He is at rest in Eglantine All Saints Churchyard, County Down, Northern Ireland.
The crew members of KG896 were:
Richard Henry APPLEYARD. Flying Officer Navigator (Pupil) RCAF J/42507. Killed.
Aston Oliver ASTON. Sergeant Air Gunner (Pupil) RAFVR 1880856. Killed.
Dennis Archibald BATES. Sergeant Wireless Operator / Air Gunner (Pupil) RAFVR 1868033. Killed.
William David CHEYNE. Flying Officer Wireless Operator (Pupil) RAFVR 157532. Killed.
Ronald James EDGE. Sergeant Flight Engineer (Pupil) RAFVR 1895861. Killed.
Cecil Andrew James HONEY. Flying Officer Navigator RAFVR 174869. Killed.
Rolinson Sidney Palliser HOOK. Sergeant Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (Pupil) RAFVR 1603654. Killed.
Neilly Patrick McNEILLY. Sergeant Wireless Operator (Pupil) RAFVR 1522944. Killed.
William Ivan HOLMES. Flying Officer Pilot (Pupil) 416205 Royal New Zealand Air
Stanley Frederick Bright SARGENT. Flying Officer/Navigator 165075 RAFVR killed.
Leigh Light
The Leigh Light was a very bright light used to detect U-boats at night at close range.
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