A Royal Air Force Navigator's, Air Bomber's and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book pertaining to...

A Royal Air Force Navigator’s, Air Bomber’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book pertaining to Sergeant D. Batson, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who died of injuries received in the Freckleton Air Disaster on 24 August 1944 The recipient’s Log Book, covering the period 12 August 1943 to 21 March 1944, the majority of the non-operational training flights in Ansons, the final page annotated ‘Died of wounds and injureis received on active service 24.8.44’; together with the named Air Officer in Charge of Records forwarded the recipient’s Log Book to his next of kin, reasonable condition £80-£100 --- Douglas Batson, a native of Ferryhill, County Durham, served as a Sergeant with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. Qualifying as a Navigator on 24 March 1944, he was mortally injured during the Freckleton air disaster when, on 23 August 1944 a United States Army Air Force Liberator flying from nearby R.A.F. Warton crashed during a test flight into the centre of the village of Freckleton, Lancashire, killing or mortally injuring 58 individuals on the ground, including four R.A.F. airmen and 38 children aged four to six. It remains the worst air disaster in Britain in terms of the number of ground fatalities. Batson died of his injuries the following day; he is buried under a C.W.G.C. headstone in Duncombe Cemetery, Ferryhill, County Durham. Sold with copied research.