AIKEN – Aston Karl

1800670 – A.K. Aiken – Jamaica – attested 30.12.41 – Ach/Pilot
153221 – F/O – commissioned 28.8.43

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876 – Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

Name: AIKEN, ASTON KARL
Initials: A K
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 107 Sqdn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 08/08/1944
Service No: 153221
Additional information: Son of Eugene R. Aiken and Louise R. Aiken, of Kingston, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CONNANTRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Seems to be Mosquito NS820 107 Missing from patrol E of Paris 8.8.44

Also killed

Name: TAYLOR, WILBURN MACMILNE
Initials: W M
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force
Unit Text: 107 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: 08/08/1944
Service No: J/ 13398
Additional information: Son of Miller H. Taylor, and of Marjory Taylor, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. B.A. University of Saskatchewan.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CONNANTRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

[Source: www.WW2chat.com]


MTU Course Bicester Oxon 1944


No 9 Mosquito Course Canada 1944

[Pictures courtesy Karl Aiken, Jamaica]

See further information by Audrey Elcombe in the addition below.

3 additions to “AIKEN – Aston Karl”

  1. Karl Aiken adds:

    Hello,
    I have longed for a site like this and am happy to add to information on my late uncle Aston Karl Aiken, after whom I was named in 1949.

    It seems that the record seen by me thus far, is unclear as to how Jamaican navigator F/O Aiken and his pilot F/O Wilburn M. Taylor of Canada died on an operational patrol in their aircraft NS280 (OM-P)on the night of 8th August, 1944. I must first give credit to Audrey Elcombe, a british researcher/writer who provided our family sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s, with the first printed record of the details of my uncle’s wartime service and clarified for the first time how he died. Some of the information following is taken from her typescript.

    On the night of 7th August, RAF 107 squadron flew nine Mosquito Type VI F/B armed with 4 x 500 lb bombs, machine guns and 20 mm cannon on two routes into occupied France and NS 280 took off at 0215 hrs. Their route followed Villiers-Fonteney-Tressigny-Chartonges-Sezanne-SommeSous-Vitry Le Francois. They were assigned to hit railway sidings and squadron logs suggest that the patrol members put a long stretch of about a mile long ablaze. Canadian records of the loss of pilot Taylor notes that their aircraft “was attacking enemy communications in northern France when it crashed into an electric pole (Taylor was known to be a bit of a daredevil flier and often flew lower than required) and burst into flames 20 miles south-east of Montmiral, Marne”.

    May I correct an error that has persisted in some records. The ages of the two fliers have been reversed all these years. Aston Karl Aiken was 24 years and F/O Taylor was 29 years old.

  2. Jerome Lee adds:

    Mosquito VI NS820 “P” – Failed to return from an intruder sortie, Northern France. Info: Courtesy CXX, WW2Chat.com source- 2TAF – Shores/Thomas

  3. karl aiken adds:

    I would like to add some photographs of my uncle F/O Aiken for consideration for posting on your wonderful website. You may choose which one you wish. Both show him in training in Canada prior to return to the UK for posting to RAF 107 Squadron.
    Thanks.
    kaa
    Sorry, they dont seem to want to attach. Will try again later. Is there any way I can get these photos to you? Pl advise soonest.
    ka

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