26.08.1944 No.692 Squadron Mosquito XVI MM135 S/L Bird Location: Old Warden, Bedfordshire, England.

Mission: Berlin, Germany.

Date: 26th August 1944.

Unit: No. 692 Squadron P.F.F. (Path Finder Force)

Type: Mosquito B. XVI

Serial No: MM135

Coded: P3-

Location: Old Warden, Bedfordshire, England.

Pilot: S/L Walter Douglas Wilberforce Bird R.A.F. 40361 Age. 28 – Killed.

Nav: Sgt Francis William Hudson R.A.F.V.R.1801746 Age. 21 – Killed.

REASON FOR LOSS:

This aircraft took-off from its base Gransden Lodge at 2155 hrs for a bombing mission to Berlin, tragically MM135 crashed on return from this operation at 0245 hrs, at Park Farm, Old Warden, Bedfordshire killing both crew members. It was believed that the accident was due to the pilot misreading his altimeter.

No.692 Squadron Mosquito’s at Gransden Lodge, nearest MM183 (IWM)

2 025
Francis “Billie” William Hudson (King)

3 1 026 ccc 4 S. Ldr Bird
Another photo of “Billie” August 25th 1944 (King). Wilberforce Bird’s grave (ARS).

Burial Details:

Walter Douglas Wilberforce Bird (St. Thomas of Canterbury) Churchyard, Hants. Grave. South east corner of Worting (St. Thomas of Canterbury) Churchyard, Hants. Son of William N. W. Bird and Ruth Bird.

Francis William Hudson Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambs. Grave 13567. Son of James Arthur and Annie Florence Hudson of Appledore, Kent.

Originally researched and compiled by David King (2005), updated August 2013.