1/1/2024 0 Comments Wing commander one![]() Their elder brother, William Edward Grant, died of illness on 2 February 1932 whilst serving in the pre-war RAF. They were flying together on an operation with 485 Squadron, RNZAF. In November 1942 his younger brother, Flying Officer Ian Allan Charles Grant, RNZAF died after being shot down flying a Supermarine Spitfire near Calais, France. He later joined 485 Squadron of the RNZAF. On completion of flight training in March 1941, he was posted to join 145 Squadron based at Tangmere in the UK with the rank of Sergeant. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in November 1939. Reginald Grant was born in Woodville, New Zealand on 3 June 1914. Grant is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey. Investigators concluded that oil thrown out of the engine may have obscured the windscreen and that prior to baling out the pilot may have been overcome with fumes. The pilot died when he struck the ground, having failed to pull his ripcord and open the parachute properly. The fighter crashed near Barrington's Farm, Orsett, which today is located on the eastbound A13 carriageway approximately 100 metres east of the A128 flyover above the main A13 London to Southend Road. Gliding down to roughly 1,000 feet, he then rolled and was seen to abandon his aircraft at about 400 feet. One of these aircraft, Mustang Mk 111 no FX996, piloted by Wing Commander Grant took off at 12:35pm but, 15 minutes later at 2,500 feet, the pilot reported he was experiencing engine trouble and broke away. On Monday 28 February 1944, Mustang fighter aircraft from 65 Squadron RAF were detailed to take off as escort to a raid on a V1 rocket launch site in the Poix / Amiens area of France.
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