Cameron, Frederick John Alistair, 1916-1940

Cameron, Frederick John Alistair; b. 15 Oct. 1916; adm. Jan. 1931 (G); left Apr. 1931; PO RAFVR Apr. 1940; d. 19 August 1940.

Frederick John Alastair “Freddy” Cameron was born in London on the 15th of October 1916 the only son of Alastair Cameron and Mary Addison (nee Pudney) Cameron of 2, John Street, Mayfair in London, later of Bourne End in Buckinghamshire. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from January 1931 to April 1931. He worked for Phillips & Powis Aircraft Ltd of Reading and gained a Royal Aero Club Certificate (No. 11499) at Phillips & Powis on the 1st of May 1933 while flying a DH Moth. He was married to Helen (nee Curtiss) (before 1939) and they lived at “Wayside”, High Street, Weston-Super-Mare.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was serving as a pilot with No. 5 Air Observer Navigation School, based at Weston Airport, Weston-Super-Mare in 1939 and was lodging at Quarry Close, Winscombe in Somerset. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 1st of April 1940.
Freddy Cameron and his crew took off on the 19th of August 1940 in Anson Mk I N5132 for a navigational training exercise. At the time he had accumulated 2,634.50 hours of total solo flying time on all aircraft types of which 439.50 were on Anson aircraft. During the flight the starboard engine failed and Frederick Cameron attempted to make a forced landing at Littleton Lane, Wellow, some three miles to the south of Bath. As it came in to land the aircraft hit a tree which ripped off the starboard wing and caused it to swing into some trees and tip headfirst into a stream. It turned over onto its back with the tail plane resting on a tree. All but two of the men on board were killed.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer Frederick John Alastair Cameron (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Raymond Thomas Howard (Observer Under Training)
Leading Aircraftman Joseph Asquith Hodgson (Observer Under Training)
Leading Aircraftman William Henry Howard (Observer Under Training)
Leading Aircraftman Ian Macinnes (Seriously injured)
Mr H. P. Wigg (Civilian Wireless Operator) (Seriously injured)
The injured were admitted to Bath Royal United Hospital later in the day.
His wife received the following letter dated the 21st of August 1940: - “Madam, I am commanded by the Air Council to express to you their great regret on learning that your husband, Pilot Officer Frederick John Alastair Cameron, Royal Air Force, lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident near Wellow, Bath on 19th of August, 1940. The Air Council desire me to convey their profound sympathy with you in your bereavement.”
He is buried at the Church of St Mary the Less, Chilbolton.

Pilot Officer 79525; No. 5 Air Observer Navigation School, Royal Air Force

International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition

Prepared for import into AtoM by Westminster School Archive staff, 2019-2020. Updated by Bethany Duck, Archives Assistant, September 2022.

The Record of Old Westminsters: A biographical list of all those who are known to have been educated at Westminster School from Play 1919 to Election 1989, Volume 4, compiled by F.E. Pagan and H.E. Pagan, Padstow, 1992.

Westminster School Second World War Memorial by John C. Hamblin, 2022.