Date:	Tuesday 23 April 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk III
Owner/operator:	245 (Northern Rhodesia) Sqn RAF
Registration:	EE293
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire (EGUO)
Destination airport:	RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire (EGUO)

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.3 EE293; Issued to 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron 15.6.45 coded 'TM-G'; from March 1945, 504 Squadron was re-equipped with Gloster Meteor jets, but the war in Europe ended before they saw any action. It was re-numbered No. 245 (Northern Rhodesia) Squadron on 10.8.45.

Written off (destroyed) 23 April 1946. The pilot was making a single engine landing in crosswinds, but he allowed the aircraft to stall and it spun into the ground at RAF Colerne, Wiltshire. Pilot killed

Crew:
F/O (201451) Desmond William Machray Crawshaw (pilot, aged 23) RAF - Killed on active service 23-4-46, buried at St. Margaret and St. Andrew Churchyard, Littleham, East Devon District, Devon, England

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.37. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft EA100-EZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1988 p 19)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AVIA 5/28/W2341: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6578187
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.101: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. Air Britain Aeromilitaria Summer 2009 p.71: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_2009.pdf
6. 245 Squadron, ORB 1946-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2481: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505119
7. https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/99784-meteor-iii-incident-at-stoke-orchard?goto=newpost
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2441827/crawshaw,-desmond-william-machray/
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114028387/desmond-william_machray-crawshaw
10. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?21873-460423-Unaccounted-Airmen-23-04-1946&p=127715#post127715
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._504_Squadron_RAF#In_World_War_II
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Colerne#Second_World_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Nov-2019 22:20	Dr. John Smith	Added
27-Nov-2019 10:51	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative, Operator]
28-May-2021 21:29	Anon.	Updated [Location, Operator]
12-Jul-2021 02:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Jul-2021 07:59	TB	Updated [Time, Location, Narrative, Operator]
01-Jul-2023 15:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated