Meyer, A B (Arnolous Bothma)
Sergeant Arnolous Bothma Meyer was the second pilot and he served with 120 Squadron.
August 1942 was not a good month for 120 Squadron. By the 20th of that month, they had lost twenty men. All three events that caused their deaths were the results of accidents. That summer, 120 squadron was attached to RAF Predannack, in Cornwall, England as well as Ballykelly, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
During the evening of the 20th of August, Liberator III LV340[1] took off from RAF Ballykelly on its way to RAF Nutts Corner in County Antrim, on a non-operational test flight in bad weather conditions which had grounded most other planes in the area. Whilst flying low northwest of Carnlough in County Antrim the bomber flew into the side of a mountain and disintegrating on impact. All those on board lost their lives instantly. The mountain is listed as Limnalary Mountain in official records, but it seems the crash was on the side of Big Trosk Mountain.
Onboard was Flying Officer, Michael Dear (Captain),[2] Sergeant Arnolous Bothma Meyer (Second Pilot),Pilot Officer Albert Benjamin Gomperts (Navigator),[3] Sergeant Charles Humphrey (Flight Engineer),[4] Pilot Officer Robert Ainslie (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[5] Sergeant Ivan Victor McQuay (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[6] Sergeant Thomas William Taylor (RNZAF,[7] Wireless Operator/Air Gunner),[8] and GroupCaptain (Retired) Harry King Goode DSO DFC AFC,[9] who was a Passenger.
Arnolous was laid to rest with a full military funeral.
Date of Death: 21/08/1942 (Aged xx)
Service: Sergeant, Royal Air Force, 120 Squadron
Service Number: R/73406
Burial Location: Plot W. Grave 12.
[1] The Liberator III was an American designed heavy bomber which first flew in 1939 and was introduced to military service during 1941. The Liberator had the long range required for anti-submarine missions.
[2] Flying Officer, Michael Dear (Aged 20), Service Number: 63107, was the son of Reginald Edward Beckly Dear and Lilian Mabel Dear, of Weybridge, Surrey, remembered on Liverpool’s (Anfield) Crematorium.
[3] Pilot Officer Albert Benjamin Gomperts (Aged 27), Service Number: 109101, was the son of Maurice and Greta Gomperts. He was laid to rest in Willesden Jewish Cemetery, England, Section FX. Row 1. Grave 10.
[4] Sergeant Charles Humphrey (Aged 22), Service Number: 627737, was the son of Charles Henry and Lily Humphrey, of Maidstone. Laid to rest in Maidstone Cemetery, Kent, England, Plot C.C.1. Grave 126.
[5] Pilot Officer Robert Ainslie (Aged 30), Service Number: 1118813, was the son of Robert Ainslie, and of Mary Ainslie (nee True), of Glasgow; husband of Jenny Paton Ainslie (nee Paton Leitch), of Knightswood, Glasgow. He was laid to rest in Tollcross (Central) Churchyard, Glasgow, Scotland, Section E. Grave 22.
[6] Sergeant Ivan Victor McQuay, Service Number: 1180592, was laid to rest in Sholing’s (St. Mary) Churchyard, North of chancel, England.
[7] RNZAF is the Royal New Zealand Airforce.
[8] Sergeant Thomas William Taylor’s story is on this website, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[9] Group Captain (Retired) Harry King Goode’s story is on this website, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.