Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

On 17.06.1977 Mr Elliott W. PARKER, of Riverton wrote a letter to my grandmother (May Jago) in response to her request for information regarding the RAAF career of her brother Gordon Alex Boyd who was killed in a non-operational aircraft accident on the 19th January 1945 at North Coates, Lincolnshire, UK. The letter is currently the property of Mary F Filmer of Warooka (May's daughter and my mother). GA Boyd was known to his family and non RAAF friends as Alec.

Elliott W Parker wrote -

It is a privilege to answer your letter - frankly I know more than any person alive of the man I knew as Gordon Boyd’s career in the RAAF. He was my crash mate at Mallala (we flew together) where we won our wings. As the oldies of the course according to our mates we were designed because of age to be instructors or staff pilots but we two were the first to be sent to England. We went to America via the Panama Canal on the Maraposa, had leave in New York and saw the eastern coast from Boston to Washington where we have V.I.P. treatment in private homes etc. On the evening of D Day we sailed out of New York harbour on the Queen Mary and six days later arrived in Greenock - Scotland. Our base was then at Padgate between Liverpool & Manchester and later when the doodle bugs (V1s) & V2’s quietened we were based at Brighton. We were both selected as Lancaster pilots and while waiting to go to O.T.U. (operational training unit) we did various courses including 2 refresher flying courses. Later 4 of we Australians were sent for experience to a Beaufighter operational station at North Coates about 5 miles south of Grimsby. Incidently we spent our leaves together at a delightful lady’s home on the land in Dumfrieshire - Scotland and here we had a white Christmas. It was just after this that 32 Beaus hit Denhelda on the Hook of Holland two and a quarter hours later 24 came back - 2 crash landed on nearby dromes and 6 missed out. We four Aussies were doing flying control work at that stage, 2 on the morning shift and 2 on the afternoon shift, the early risers Gordon Boyd & Jack Robinson went to the Control Tower and volunteered to go out in a Beanfighter and help bring back one of the damaged planes. As Phil Leffler & I walked across the drome a plane with only one wheel down made an approach but was sent around again by the Control Tower to either get the other wheel down or retract both, unfortunately a blinding snow reduced visibility to zero and that plane with Gordon, Jack & young Mayfield an English pilot went in about 200 yards from Phil & I. Wing Commander Braithwaite the C.A. and his men could not have been kinder, they would not let us go alone to Cambridge Regional Cemetry. Flowers were at a premium for wreaths Phil & I procured artificial wreaths relieved with carnations at 3/6 per bloom, you can imagine how Phil & I felt when we went with the ceremonial party out to the regional Cemetery to find two wreaths, one from the Commanding Officer and Officers of North Coates and one from the Sergeants Mess - such was the comradeship over there that even though in that short period they had lost 13 men they could still think of us. We kept contact with his wife & Malcolm - I was his guardian till he married last seen he had two daughters and was a mechanic on the MTT buses. He lived a full and happy life, was widely known and well liked and at no stage did he show fear and loved flying. Any further information you wish I will gladly supply. yours truly, Elliott W. Parker PS He & Jack Robinson are side by side in Cambridge Regional Cemetry where most overseas (Commonwealth) lads are buried and chances are your sister will find records there to assist her search.

Note: the RAAF Casualty Report at NAA: A705, 166/6/909 records the English pilot of the plane as RJ Rothwell (not Mayfield as stated in EW Parker's letter). Raymond Joseph Rothwell was 21 years old and is buried at Southampton.

BOYD, Gordon Alex - (Flight Sergeant); Service Number - 437044
ROBINSON J – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – 430767 AUS
ROTHWELL R J – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – 1602962 RAF

EE Filmer