Commins, Oliver Frederick
Personal Information
Rank | AC2 |
Forename(s) | Oliver Frederick |
Surname | Commins |
Gender | M |
Age | 33 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 20-05-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of Fred and Miriam Commins. Husband of Marjorie E. Commins, of Dawlish Warren. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Hampden I |
Serial Number | P2094 |
Markings |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Exeter Higher Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. Z.G. Grave 153. |
Epitaph | DEARLY LOVED |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 147 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1415871 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 420 (Snowy Owl) |
Trade | Ground |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet on Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 420 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial, in English & French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 420 (RCAF) Sqn |
Location | Former Control Tower, Tholthorpe Airfield, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 420 Sqn |
Miscellaneous Information
AC2 Commins was not part of the crew, all of whom returned safely. It is therefore presumed that he was attending to the aircraft following his return in his capacity as ground crew when it was struck. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 19-05-1942 |
End Date | 20-05-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Waddington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (19% moon) |
Operation | Gardening in Rosemary area |
Reason for Loss | Struck by 44 Squadron L7581 after its port wing failed before becoming airborne while on an air test. L7581 veered off the runway and struck P2094 and X3149, both Hampdens of 420 Squadron and both of which were destroyed by the ensuing fire. It is not yet clear how AC2 Commins died in the incident. L7581 had not flown on the Mannheim operation the previous night. |