Ronald James EDGE

Ronald James EDGE. Sergeant. Flight Engineer (Pupil) 1895861 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. of
1674 Heavy Conversion Unit, 17 Group RAF Coastal Command 1943-45 at RAF Aldergrove
Son of William Foster Furnis Edge and Marthe Edge, nee David of Higham's Park, Essex.
Crew of Liberator GR.VI KG896
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.


Wills and Admin, Ancestry.
Ronald James EDGE of 68 Cavendish Road, Highams Park Chingford London. Died on date stated. His effects went to his father, omnibus driver.

The following extract was taken for the service record of Flying Officer William Ivan Holmes.

The plane took off from RAF Aldergrove, Co. Antrim on a low-altitude radar exercise on a moving target on Lough Neagh. During the flight, the crew made several radio transmissions indicating everything was in order. At 0218hrs on 19th March 1945, the control tower at RAF Aldergrove, Co. Antrim picked up the final communication from KG896. Only 2 minutes later, the plane crashed into high ground 900 feet above sea-level at the town land of Tornagrough. The crash site was approximately 6 miles west of Belfast, Co. Antrim. All members of the crew died in the incident.

On the 19th March 1945, Liberator KG896 took off from RAF Aldergrove, Crumlin, County Antrim Northern Ireland, detailed to carry out a low altitude radar exercise on a moving target on Lough Neagh. There were several R/T contacts during the flight conveying the appearance that everything was in order. The last contact was at 0218 hours. Two minutes later the aircraft flew into high ground, six miles west of Belfast, at the townland Tornagrough, near Hannahstown, County Antrim, 900 feet above sea level, while on a course to the airfield., and all on board were killed.”

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.