Wartime tragedy finally honoured

Kyt · Aug 26, 2008

Wartime tragedy finally honoured - Press & Journal

IT HAPPENED more than 64 years ago and seemed destined to remain one of so many forgotten wartime tragedies.

But the death of RAF Warrant Officer John Stephen in February, 1944, when his Hawker Hurricane plane crashed in the Hebrides has finally been commemorated.

A poignant ceremony at Hyne on Coll saw some of the pilot’s relatives travel from London, and his great nephew, businessman Kasyan Bartlett travel from Hong Kong to be there.

Around 30 islanders joined the family to witness the unveiling of a plaque draped with a Union flag as a lasting act of remembrance to Mr Stephen of 516 Squadron of the Royal Air Force.

It was thanks to police Sergeant Neil Owen’s painstaking research into wartime events in Oban, Lorn and the Isles that the memory of this forgotten pilot was suddenly brought back to life in August 2008. The Hawker Hurricane piloted by Mr Stephen was one of three which set off from Oban’s Connel airfield to attend an exercise of combined operations with commandos off Ardnamurchan.

Mr Owen said: “Unfortunately, bad weather and very low cloud came in from the west and it was vital to return to base.

“Warrant Officer John Stephen’s engine started to fail and he decided to try and land at the emergency landing ground at Foyle at the west end of Coll.

“However, the bank of fog that came in from the west obscured his view and he tried to land because of the engine failing instead at what he perceived to be flat land at Hyne on Coll.”
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Some more details:

516 Squadron

Kyt · Aug 26, 2008

Hurricane Mk.IIC LF160

Antipodean Andy · Aug 27, 2008

Seems to be a fair effort to commemorate these sacrifices - rightly so too.

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Wartime tragedy finally honoured

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