M.353 First Officer  Graham Oliver Lever 

flag england

b. 31 Dec 1914, Hook, Hants  21 Mar 1941 to Mar-42 

  ata graham lever 1937 1937  ata graham lever ATA    

 

prev. ground engineer

RAF trainee pilot, Jun-40 to Feb-41 - "The reason for his withdrawal from training is due to the failure to pass his examinations."

prev. exp. 166 hrs

Address in 1941: Dixons Rd, Broughton, nr Stockbridge, Hants


Postings: 1FPP

17865926404 c940fe6fb3 n

He bought himself this 1932 Aston-Martin Le Mans, [registered APG 410, previously owned by Richard Shuttleworth; it still exists] in September 1941, for £175.

fairchild argus

d. 15 Mar 1942 (Died in ATA Service) piloting Fairchild HM178 which stalled and crashed on approach to White Waltham. His fellow ATA pilots Bridget Hill and Betty Sayer (qqv) were also killed; Pamela Duncan (qv) was thrown from the aircraft during the crash and suffered burns.

He had turned back due to bad weather, but was held to blame for the accident.

Yorkshire Evening Post, 17 Mar 1942: "AIRWOMEN KILLED Ferry Pilots' 'Plane Hit Bungalow. The Ministry of Aircraft Production announces that Flying Officer Graham Lever, Third Officer Bridget Hill, and Third Officer Bessie Sayers lost their lives in a flying accident on Sunday. The accident occurred in the course of their duties with the Air Transport Auxiliary. The 'plane crashed on to a bungalow. A fourth passenger in the machine, also a woman A.T.A. officer, was injured. Twenty-six people were injured when they rushed to the house to extricate the passengers in the 'plane. It is believed that the petrol tank in the machine exploded.

Among the injured were children who were in the street. The petrol tank exploded some time after the crash, owing, it is believed, to contact with a fire in the kitchen. A man named Croft, living in an adjoining bungalow, was blown through a window into the street and badly hurt but a child in the front room of the bungalow was rescued almost uninjured. "

buried at Broughton Church, Hants

Aston Martin offered £50 for his car - "we are afraid that the recent petrol restrictions have severely hampered car sales." 


 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

 

  • Articles View Hits 821498

 

DSCI1060 1

Please feel free to send me your comments, requests, extra information or corrections.

Click here: Email Me