Handley Page Halifax MET Mk. III

Handley Page Halifax MET Mk. III RG380 X9-N

No. 517 (Meteorological) Squadron, No. 19 Group,
Royal Air Force Coastal Command.

No. 517 Squadron was formed on 11 August 1943 at RAF St Eval, Cornwall, when No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF was re-numbered. The squadron was equipped with Lockheed Hudson and Handley Page Hampden aircraft, which it flew daily out into the Atlantic to collect meteorological data.

Between September and November 1943 four United States Army Air Forces Flying Fortresses were temporarily attached to the squadron, awaiting the arrival of the adapted Handley Page Halifax. By November 1943, the squadron had re-equipped with the Halifax and then moved to RAF St David's in Wales. Two further moves followed, one to RAF Brawdy in February 1944 and then after the war to RAF Chivenor where the squadron disbanded on 21 June 1946.

On Sunday 10th September 1945 at RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire, Halifax ‘E’ took off at 01:40 hours for a meteorological sortie captained by Flt Lt Hughes. On completion of their sortie, they were diverted to RAF Westonzoyland in Somerset, due to adverse weather at RAF Brawdy, landing at 11:38 hours.

Later that morning at 10:38 hours, Halifax RG380 (X9-N), piloted by Flt Lt Preverbs, took off from RAF Brawdy to complete a meteorological sortie over the Bay of Biscay. This flight was unusual as it had 2 MET Observers (MAO’s) on board. Sgt John GORDON, an experienced MAO was overseeing a new MAO, Sgt Louis GROVES, which meant that the crew that day was of nine airmen instead of eight.

On completion of the successful sortie over the Bay of Biscay, they headed for home but were also diverted to RAF Westonzoyland, as the weather at RAF Brawdy was still adverse. Approximately 9 hours and 25 minutes after leaving RAF Brawdy, RG380 was seen by the crew of Halifax ‘E’, who were still on the ground, flying over RAF Westonzoyland just below the cloud base.

Due to radio interference, communications between Flt. Lt. Preverbs and Air Traffic Control appeared to be interrupted. RG380 turned away from the airfield to make an extended circuit to the west in order to correctly line up for a landing. During this turn, RG380 dropped below the safety altitude for the area and at 19:54 hours crashed into a steep southwest facing escarpment on the Quantock Hills at about one thousand feet. RG380 hit the ridge just below its highest point, approximately one mile northwest of the village of Crowcombe with the loss of all hands.

Flt Lt Keith Gordon PROVERBS (1st Pilot/Captain)
Age: 23 of Accra, Barbados
Fg Off John Joseph Frederick HOBDEN (2nd Pilot)
Age: 22 of Dartford, Kent
Fg Off Lindsay George McMILLAN (Navigator)
Age: 23 of Southampton, Hampshire
FS Dennis Norman EVERETT (Flight Engineer)
Age: 22 of Weybridge, Surrey
Sgt Louis Grimble GROVES (Meteorological Observer)
Age: 24 of Westminster, London
Sgt John Macilrick Bryce GORDON (Meteorological Observer)
Age: 21 of Dunrossness, Shetland
Fg Off Patrick Alfred BEE (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Age: 25 of Streatham, London
WO Ray Donald CARTWRIGHT (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Age: 24 of Watford, London
FS Robin William VINTON (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Age: 21 of Dartmouth, Devon

Air Safety

Major Keith and Dorothy Groves set up the LG Groves awards in 1946 in memory of their only son Louis Grimble Groves who died in the air crash on 10th September 1945. It is awarded for innovations in flight safety.

Today that legacy lives on and is continued to be supported by the RAF, the MET, the MOD and various direct family members ever since.

Major Keith Groves presided over the awards from 1946 until his death in 1979, when Colonel Jocelyn James Groves, his nephew took over. In 1985 Jim's son Jeremy Groves took over for the next 18 years until his death in 2003.

Today the awards are presided over by Jeremy's son Anthony Groves who is Major Keith Groves' Great, Great Nephew.