Bodie, C A W (Crelin Arthur Walford)
Bodie, C A W (Crelin Arthur Walford)
Flight Lieutenant Crelin Arthur Walford Bodie was the son of Henry Crelin Bodie and Elsie May Bodie, of Ipswich, Suffolk; husband of Joan Bodie, also of Ipswich.
Crelin had joined the Royal Air Force during October 1939 and by July he was involved in the Battle of Britain[1] after joining RAF 66 Squadron at Duxford two months previous, downing a Heinkel HE111 Bomber on the 8th of that month. He would fight many more brave battles against the Luftwaffe over the next few months, achieving 7 confirmed kills overall while claiming the destruction or damaging of at least 18 more. During that month of September 1940, he was shot down while flying Spitfire Mk I X4321 by two BF109’s, he did though manage to land the plane with no landing gear and survived uninjured.
Flight Lieutenant Bodie’s bravery over the previous few months was duly awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross, which he received during November of the same year. The following month, December saw him take part in ground attacks over France. He returned without incident.
By March of 1941, Crelin was posted to RAF 301 Squadron as Flight Commander at Duxford and then three months later to Royal Air Force 152 Squadron. On the 9th of August of the same year, he married a Miss Joan Eddowes from Manchester, Lancashire.
The marriage would be short, only 6 months, as by February 1943 he would be laid to rest in Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard.
Unfortunately, on the 24th of the same month, Flight Lieutenant Crelin Arthur Walford Bodie was practicing aerial manoeuvers in his Spitfire Mk IIA, P8077 and for reasons unknown he lost control and spun out of control, crashing into the ground near RAF Eglinton. He died instantly.
A few days later he received a full military funeral. The Spitfire he was in was written off. His widow Joan would remarry a few years later (October 1945).
Nine days previous, 152 Squadron lost another pilot in an accident he was Pilot Officer Philip Lionel Soothill. He is also buried in Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard, and his story can be read in this chapter.
Date of Death: 24/02/1942 (Aged 21)
Service: Flight Lieutenant, 152 Squadron. Royal Air Force
Service Number: 42790
Burial Location: Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Grave 3.
[1] Battle of Britain lasted from the 10th of July 1940 until the 31st of October 1940. It was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces between the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe.
