Wilson, R S (Rex Samuel)
Wilson, R S (Rex Samuel)
Sub-Lieutenant Rex Samuel Wilson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. M. Wilson, of Napier, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. He was educated at Napier Boys’ High School, Napier, New Zealand and was a drafting cadet in the Public Works Department before the war.
Rex was on a training flight during the 2nd of August 1945 in Grumman F6F Hellcat,[1] JV174. While practising strafing[2] on a target at Magilligan point, his plane failed to pull out of a dive crashed, bursting into fire on impact.
Sub-Lieutenant Wilson was laid to rest a few days later with a full military funeral in Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard.
Date of Death: Died 02/08/1945 (Aged 20)
Service: Sub-Lieutenant (A), 794 Squadron, H.M.S. Gannet, Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve
Service Number: 436018
Burial Location: Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Grave 19.
[1] Grumman F6F Hellcat was primarily a Carrier fighter plane produced by the United States which first flew it on the 26th of June 1942, going into full service a year later.
[2] Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted weapons.
