Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA JX210 of No.210 Squadron, RAF, crashed on Hill of Garth near Sullom Voe on the 25th March 1944

John Henry Dennis Keates Flight Lieutenant Pilot Killed
William John Edward Hird Sergeant 2nd Pilot Killed
John Ralph Peberdy Flight Sergeant Flight Engineer Killed
Francis Frederick Greig Flight Sergeant Flight Mechanic / Air Gunner Killed
James Robertson Flight Sergeant Wireless Mechanic / Air Gunner Killed
Albert Clayton Sergeant Wireless Operator / Air Gunner Killed
John Bunting Sergeant Passenger Killed

 

Catalina JX210 was flying from the seaplane base in Sullom Voe at the northern end of Mainland in the Shetland Islands on an air test when it stalled and dived into the ground on Hill of Garth on the eastern side of the Voe killing all of those onboard. Despite only being on an air test the aircraft was armed with depth charges and at least one detonated leaving a sizeable crater at the crash site.

Crash site of Consolidated Catalina JX210, Hill of Garth, Sullom Voe, Shetland
The crash site of JX210 is marked by a large water filled hole where one of the depth charges which was on the aircraft was detonated, being pasture land there is no debris from the aircraft on the surface.

The crew of the aircraft were recovered from the crash site and buried at different locations throughout the British Isles, one remained on Shetland being buried alongside a large number of other casualties at Lerwick Cemetery.

Grave of Flight Lieutenant John Henry Dennis Keates at Carlisle Dalston Road Cemetery, killed on Consolidated Catalina JX210 on Shetland
The grave of the aircraft’s pilot, Flight Lieutenant Keates is at Carlisle Dalston Road Cemetery in Cumbria. Although from New Zealand he had family connections to the Carlisle area.
Grave of Flight Sergeant Francis Frederick Greig Cemetery, killed on Consolidated Catalina JX210 on Shetland
Flight Sergeant Greig is the sole casualty to be buried on Shetland, above is his grave at Lerwick Cemetery.
Grave of Albert Clayton at Dukinfield Cemetery, killed on Consolidated Catalina JX210 on Shetland
Sergeant Albert Clayton was from Dukinfield near Manchester and is buried at Dukinfield Cemetery. After the war his parents were also buried in the same grave. The headstone once stood upright but in recent years has been laid on the ground by Tameside Council.
Grave of Sergeant John Bunting at Stockport Willow Grove Cemetery, killed on Consolidated Catalina JX210 on Shetland
Sergeant John Bunting (who was known as Jack), the passenger on board for the flight, is buried only a few miles from Albert Clayton at Willow Grove Cemetery in Stockport.