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Notes:

On Sunday 28th May, 1944 at 11.55am an aircraft taking off from RAF Harrowbeer airfield clipped the corner of the tower of St Pauls Church, Yelverton. The church tower was struck during a service and dislodged a number of stones. The pilot, Flight Sergeant Jack Donnelly “Paddy” Pringle, managed to avoid nearby houses before the aircraft crashed into a field beyond, unfortunately killing him. Records show that the aircraft was a Hawker Typhoon 1B serial No EK211, coded EE- from 263 Squadron on a practice bombing flight following/ formatting with another aircraft. The Station Commander at that time had called for the tower to be removed as it had proven to be a hazard to aircraft.

Flight Sergeant Jack Donnelly “Paddy” Pringle had only just celebrated his 21st birthday on May 20th, whilst on compassionate leave due to his mother being released from hospital. He returned to active duty on May 26th only to lose his life a mere two days later on May 28th 1944.

Paddy Pringles body was repatriated to his native Ireland to be buried. A small Plaque remembering him can be found on the door at the base of the Church Tower (Nev Cole, via Facebook).

Acknowledgements:

Nev Cole, via Facebook; “I would like to credit Michael Hayes, the Archivist at the Archives for allowing me access to the 263 Squadron personnel file. There is tragically much more to this story than I have written. Kind Regards, Nev.”

RAF Harrowbeer, Archives, Education and Heritage Centre, Knightstone Tearooms, Crapstone Road, Yelverton, PL20 6BT

https://rafharrowbeer-dartmoor.org.uk/about-us

‘Wings Over Dartmoor (Military Air Crashes 1939-1960)’ by Graham Lewis is available from the Archives (Knightstone Tearooms).

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