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  1. #11
    A fountain of knowledge
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    london
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    410

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    PS I just googled "RAF training exercise crash montrose scotland 1941" and there are several sites to look at.
    Quick glance there is an article from 24th August 2019 from a local Aberdeen newspaper "A museum is seeking help from north-east residents in a bid to piece together the history of a downed Nazi plane on north-east soil.

    The RAF Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre has recently been donated a radio controlled model of a German Ju88 bomber from the Second World War."

    I haven't read the article but on using google, again a quick glance seemingly indicates the Museum is
    on the site of the Montrose air field. Seems as though that would be a very good place to investigate. Jill

  2. #12
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Bristol, England.
    Posts
    105

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    Pam and Gill,

    Thanks very much for your efforts. These are sites that I can explore.
    Just for your information I came across his grave in a local churchyard which was unkempt and neglected.
    I thought that he deserved to be remembered and so I started to research his life.

    Thanks again
    Mike

  3. #13

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    Yesterday, I looked him up on CWGC to get his service number, and noticed on the burial information card that the family had taken responsibility for the care of the grave. It is the only CWGC grave in that cemetery. It is possible (but I am only guessing) that if they had wanted CWGC staff to care for the grave, he would have been buried with others.
    It might be worth notifying them that you found it in an unkempt condition, especially if the near family has died out. Then, if for any reason you can't care for it, it's on their books.

  4. #14
    A fountain of knowledge
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    london
    Posts
    410

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    Thanks Mike Do keep us informed of progress you make as I'd be interested to learn how you get on!
    Yes it is sad when graves are found unkempt but families die out (obviously!). I find it sad when one sees
    old family photo albums for sale in charity/junk shops etc. Jill

  5. #15
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Montrose
    Posts
    1

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    Hi there Mike, I am one of the volunteers at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre. George Parnell is mentioned in some detail in the book "Amateur Airman at War" by R.Mcinnes Wilson, who wrote his biography of his time in the RAF during WW2.
    George was one of the author's friends as they undertook their pilot training together. Wilson describes Parnell as his "First RAF buddy". He wrote that George had been a Commonwealth Scholar and was lecturing in California University when war broke out - his speciality being entomology. He also wrote that his friend was a relative of Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish Nationalist Politician as well as being an expert pool & billiard player and a "delightful performer of the piano"
    Wilson and Parnell came to Montrose in October 1940 for pilot training - including night flying. Wilson writes that Parnell's Miles Master crashed on the far side of the Montrose Basin on Feb 14th and that "consensus of opinion was that as George had been "going around again", he had made the classic and fatal error of the pilot of a Master -he has selected his flaps up instead of his undercarriage." However the Station ORB entry states that George's aircraft crashed near Banchory on Feb 5th whilst night flying. I can only guess that his friend may have got the date and location wrong.
    I hope the information is of some help.

  6. #16

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    Thank you for that information, Sian. It’s 6 months since Mike was here, but the information will stay on the Forum for him and others to read.

  7. #17
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Bristol, England.
    Posts
    105

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    Hi Sian,
    Thank you very much for the information. I have to admit that I have been neglecting this site for some time due to my research elsewhere.
    According to his death certificate George crashed in a field on Borrowfield Farm, which I believe is near Montrose at 0300hrs on 5th February. The author has all his facts correct but not the date of the crash.
    The person who reported his death to the registrar is listed as A. Hope of 23, Balmain Street, Montrose. Was he another trainee pilot?
    I don't suppose that the book you have mentioned is still in print? It would be an interesting read.
    Thanks again
    Mike

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