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Mission: Kuwait.

Date: 25th June 1941.

Unit: No. 244 Squadron R.A.F.                

Type: Vickers Vincent                  

Serial: K4702                    

Coded: -          

Location: Arabian Desert Kuwait.          

Pilot: Fl/Lt. A.D.G. Stephenson. R.A.F.V.R. Safe.
 
W/Op/Air/Gnr: L.A.C. Ernest Thomas Goodsell. 749960 R.A.F.V.R. Age 27. Killed.
           

REASON FOR LOSS:


(1) Vickers Vincent aircraft K4681 in The Persian Gulf.
Vickers Vincent aircraft K4681 in The Persian Gulf.


During 1941 244 Sqdn was based in the Persian Gulf at Sharjah. The squadrons task at this time was mainly Army communications, support and reconnaissance
following the Iraqi uprising of May 1941. The squadron was also kept busy bombing troop concentrations and the railway to Baghdad, still flying the now
obsolete Vickers Vincent aircraft.

Record for this period from the 244 squadron operational record book, gives us the following details.

25th June 1941.
Aircraft failed to return from Kuwait.
(Ernest was a member of the crew of a Vincent aircraft serial K4702, that failed to return from a mission to Kuwait.)
(Reason for loss unknown, but most likely due to bad weather as heavy dust storms in the area)

26th June 1941.
Search for K4702 hampered by dust storms.

27th June 1941.
Search for K4702 hampered by dust storms.

28th June 1941.
Search for K4702 hampered by dust storms.

29th June 1941.
Aircraft discovered but no crew.

30th June 1941.
Search continued for crew.

1st July 1941.
Search continued for crew.

2nd July 1941.
F/Lt. A. D. G. Stephenson discover by Arabs and taken to Kuwait.
(Believed to be pilot of K4702, safe)

3rd July 1941.
Five Vincent’s in search for missing crew.
(Most likely search intensified with area details from F/Lt. Stephenson)
The body of L.A.C. Goodsell was recovered and buried in the Imperial War Graves Cemetery Ashar.
(Note: Also on this day an Avro Anson aircraft that had been missing since 15-6-1941, was also discovered, the body of the pilot F/O Gordon William Arthur was recovered the following day, he is buried just two graves away from Ernest, in Plot 7, Row A, Grave 15.)

4th July 1941.
Crash party sent to recover K4702.

6th July 1941.
Landing ground prepared at the scene of K4702 crash site.

10th July 1941.
Investigation into the crash of K4702 carried out by W/Cmdr. C. D. C. Boyce. Air Headquarters.
(No record of this investigation could be found)

11th July 1941.
Crash party returned.

(2) A. An early portrait photo of Earnest (left)ccc(2) B. and a second in flying gear on operations.
An early portrait photo of Earnest (left) and a second in flying gear on operations.


(3) Earnest dressed in full flying gear in front of a 244 Squadron Vincent
Earnest dressed in full flying gear in front of a 244 Squadron Vincent


Burial Details:

L.A.C. Ernest Thomas Goodsell 749960. Basra Cemetery. Plot 7. Row A. Grave 13.
Son of Ernest Charles and Edith Annie Goodsell, of Hertford.

Researched by David King, for relatives of Ernest Thomas Goodsell, with special thanks to Anthony (Tony) C. Wilkinson for bringing this loss to our attention.

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