Dakota Mk.IV KK194 (C-47B-20-DK 43-49709) of 45 Group RAF. Flew into Ben Talaidh on the Isle of Mull, 1st February 1945 while flying from Iceland to Prestwick.  

Crew / Passengers

Rank - If Applicable

Position e.g. Pilot

Status

Frank Bishop

Flying Officer

Pilot 

Killed

Thomas Brown Milne Alexander

Pilot Officer

Navigator

Injured

Gilbert Nichols

Warrant Officer 1

Radio Operator

Injured

Derek Biden Auchinvole

Squadron Leader

Passenger

Injured

Archibald Alderton

Squadron Leader

Passenger

Killed

Herbert Ellis

 Flying Officer  Passenger Killed
B. Miller Flight Lieutenant Passenger Injured
John Douglas Lumsden Gammie Flight Lieutenant Passenger Injured

Thanks to Dave Earl for providing the crew / passenger list.

The crew and passengers who were killed were buried in various UK cemeteries, above is Squadron Leader Alderton's grave at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.

 

A general view of the ravine into which the remains of KK194 were dumped in 1945.  One of the engine is in the stream to the right.

 

This is the engine mentioned with the previous photo.

 

Part of the aircrafts fuselage with a window cut out visible.

 

One of the aircraft's main wheels can be found in amongst the remains, behind the is the tail unit, inverted and almost entirely buried.

 

 

A  photo of myself with one of the props from KK194 at the foot of Ben Talaidh. I show the scars of battle with Ben Lui two days before, when I slipped on the way down and injured my elbow. Mark's brother Richard has said that he found Ben Lui quite an easy mountain during their visit in June 2002. But Mark says it cost an arm and a leg. My arm and his Dad's leg, who slipped on the track at the foot of the mountain and injured himself. It seems that no of us managed to escape Ben Lui uninjured.

 

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