Collision of two aircraft at Temora, NSW on 8 December 1942

COLLISION OF TWO AIRCRAFT
AT TEMORA, NSW
ON 8 DECEMBER 1942

Subject:     Crash at Temora
Date:              Fri, 1 Dec 2000 06:03:59 +1000
From:           "Barry and Margaret Mason" <bamason@spiderweb.com.au>

Hi there

My Uncle (Stanley Lawrence Jay) and two others were killed when two planes collided at Temora on 8 December 1942. Stan was an instructor at the time and was practising take-offs and landings with a student. The pilot of the other plane was on his first solo flight - at least that is the official version. He (and the others) are buried in Temora his name is on the Memorial Wall in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The 'old fellow' (to quote my son) at the museum in Temora reckons their funeral was the best send-off the town has ever seen - before or after.

I couldn't find this date or incident in your list of crashes in NSW.

Regards
Margaret Mason.

Subject:     Temora crash
Date:              Tue, 5 Dec 2000 06:01:27 +1000
From:            "Barry and Margaret Mason" <bamason@spiderweb.com.au>

G'day Peter

When I get a bit more organised (about the weekend) I'll scan and e-mail down photos and flight training record and an article from the local church newsletter. The museum at Temora has some newspaper cuttings (I keep forgetting to phone and ask for copies) and it is mentioned in a book 'Wings over Temora'. My son (in Navy - but at Wagga at present) has just requested this book and the Airforce library (or possibly Wagga one) has got it from Melbourne for him. So I may know more in a few weeks.

Thanks
Margaret

The following was from the Commonwealth War Graves home page:-

In Memory of

STANLEY LAURENCE JAY

Sergeant
411915
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on Tuesday, 8th December 1942. Age 20.

Son of Arthur Harold and Charlotte Annie Jay, of Lakemba.

Cemetery: TEMORA GENERAL CEMETERY, New South Wales, Australia
Grave Reference/Panel Number: F. Plot. Row 40. Grave 2

The following was from the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour database:-

Jay, Stanley Laurence
Number: 411915
Rank: Sergeant [Sgt]
Unit: 10 Elementary Flg Trg School
Service: RAAF
Conflict: 1939-1945
Date of Death: 08/12/1942
Place of Death: Temora
Cause of Death: Accidental
Memorial Panel: 116
AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

Beyes, Norman Cecil
Number: 423599
Rank: Leading Aircraftman [LAC]
Unit: 10 Elementary Flg Trg School
Service: RAAF
Conflict: 1939-1945
Date of Death: 08/12/1942
Place of Death: Temora
Cause of Death: Accidental
Memorial Panel: 115
AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

Bussell, Kent Bligh
Number: 422405
Rank: Leading Aircraftman [LAC]
Unit: 10 Elementary Flg Trg School
Service: RAAF
Conflict: 1939-1945
Date of Death: 08/12/1942
Place of Death: Temora
Cause of Death: Accidental
Memorial Panel: 115
AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

Subject:    Temora crash
Date:             Sat, 9 Dec 2000 11:58:42 +1000
From:           "barry and margaret mason" <bamason@spiderweb.com.au>

From My Uncle Harold Jay's book about his own life. He is now a fairly sprightly 94-year old.

Stanley's Tragic Death

My brother Stanley was only an 18?year?old lad when he enlisted with the RW As previously mentioned, he was killed a few days before his 21st birthday.

Stan, a flight instructor by this time, was in a Tiger Moth with his pupil. They were undertaking take?offs and landings. The second plane was piloted by a cadet who was reported to be making his first solo flight. On collision, the planes immediately caught fire. Stan jumped, but there was not enough height and he was killed when his parachute had not fully opened. This was the official report. However, a book entitled "Wings Over Temora", put the accident down to a lack of discipline. It named all of those concerned.

Stan, together with the other two young boys killed in the accident, was given a full military honours funeral. Mum, Dad, Triss and 1 attended their combined funeral service. The photograph below shows the gun carriage with the three coffins. Stan and one cadet were buried in the Anglican section at Temora Cemetery and the other cadet, 1 think, in the Methodist section.

I have not included the photo. It does not scan well – and probably is from the newspaper of the time.

Stan was born 30 May 1922 and was killed 8 Dec 1942 – so it was a bit more than a few days short of his 21st.

With this I am attempting to send a copy of the article from the church newsletter – I am not sure how it will scan a photo a copy of his Training card – I’m also not sure how it will travel as the contrast isn’t all that wonderful.

Hope they all arrive safely, but I could run into problems because I only have this button to go by and not an e-mail address as such - and I'm not sure if either I or the computer is smart enough to attach the other things to this, but we'll give it a go.

If they don't arrive, please send proper e-mail address.

Regards – and happy researching.

	Stanley Laurence Jay
	Church Newlsetter
	Funeral procession
	Pilot's Training Card
	No. 1 Initial Training School
	No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School
	No. 5 Service Flying Training School
	Link Trainer
	Training Card