Sergeant (Pilot) 1233732 Alfred George Dromgoole

Family details:
Son of Frederick Cecil and Esther Dromgoole, of St. Helens.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Alfred G and one other member of the household are redacted. Father Frederick C Dromgoole born 23/11/1886 a Master Printer, mother Esther Dromgoole born 30/05/1886 a Book Keeper and brother Frederick J Dromgoole born 22/06/1914 a Chemist are living at 69 Dentons Green Lane, St Helens.

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=26]Remembered on the West Park Old Boys Memorial[/url]

Death registered at Ely, Cambridgeshire. Sgt Dromgoole died of injuries at Ely on 5th February 1943 following injuries sustained in the crash of Martinet HP138 at Coltishall on 29th January 1943. On 23rd September 1942 a District Court Martial was held at Church Fenton airfield to charge a pilot with flying an Oxford so low so that it struck a radio aerial on a gunpost during a practice attack. He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to 56 days detention. The details of this are held in National Archives file "AIR25/225". The Oxford is named as "6800" but was probably Given the Court Martial was held at Church Fenton it probably occurred there whilst 288 Squadron were on a detachment there from Digby and several days before the Court Martial was held. The aircraft was listed as "6800" but only Oxford X6800 ever served with 288 Squadron so this must be the identity. It was with 288 Squadron between March 1942 and March 1943. The 288 Squadron orb records that on 12th August 1942 they had twenty pilots, six air gunners, then four Oxfords, eleven Defiants and six Hurricanes. The named pilot arrived for duty on 30th June 1942. Pilot - Sgt Alfred George Dromgoole RAFVR (1233732). Sergeant - Air Gunner 985405 Edward Farnen Short Stirling Mk III - 149 (East India) Sqn RAF - Aircraft Registration BF500 Took off from RAF Lakenheath Thursday 15 April 1943 with the target being Stuttgart. Shot down over France (Belval, 6 km WNW of Charleville) by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Rudolf Altendorf of the 2./NJG 4, flying Bf 110 3C from Florennes airfield, Belgium. Crew:- Pilot : Pilot Officer Dominic Bernard White RCAF J/16896 [Killed] Flight Engineer : Sergeant Albert John White RAFVR 1445443 [Killed] Navigator : Flight Sergeant Theodore Willson Foran RCAF R/121566 [Killed] Navigator : Flying Officer Lloyd George Vallance RCAF J/10684 [Killed] Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Warrant Officer Class II Russell Roberts Stover RCAF R/91336 [Killed] Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Edward Farnen RAFVR 985405 [Killed] Rear Gunner : Sergeant Kenneth Sidney Albert Payne RAFVR 1339292 [Killed] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/Dromgoole.jpg[/pic] [caption]The headstone of Sergeant Alfred George Dromgoole at St Helens Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption]