Douglas Haig Birbeck

Aircraftman 1st Class

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of John Richard Samuel Birbeck, and of Annie Birbeck, of St. Albans, Christchurch, Canterbury.

References:

CWGC

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

"The inquest into the death of three airmen who were killed when a Baffin bomber crashed into the sea at Waimairi on February 5 was held before the coroner, Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M. The victims were: Flight Lieutenant Arthur Darvall Poulton, aged 40, of West Eyreton; Air Gunner William James Reynold Strachan, of Roxburgh; and Aircraftsman (first class) Douglas Haig Birbeck, of Barbadoes St., Christchurch.An open verdict, in accordance with the medical evidence, was returned in each case by the coroner, who stated that the men had died as the result of injuries received when the aeroplane in which they were flying crashed into the sea."

NORTHERN ADVOCATE, 20 FEBRUARY 1940, PAGE 7

Public Contributions:

My grandmother lost both her first son and his father to the World Wars. Doug's father died in Belgium WW1 and Doug died in a practice flight of New Brighton Beach near Christchurch. He was about thr... Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

539003

Name:

Douglas Haig Birbeck

Rank:

Aircraftman 1st Class

Date of Birth:

Not known

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Unit:

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Air Accident

Date of Death:

05 February 1940

Day of Death:

Monday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Christchurch (Waimairi) Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

48. 3.

Cemetery Location:

New Zealand