The Air Despatch Association
Roll of Honour: 138 Air Supply Platoon
25th August 1950 - Malaya
Information supplied by John Williams
Dakota KN630 of 52 Squadron RAF was engaged on target marking and supply dropping when it crashed in thick jungle 1.6 km (1 mile) WNW of Kampong Jenera, Kelantan, Malaya. Although the cause of the loss was not positively determined, it may have been loss of control at low speed, engine failure or stall in turbulent conditions close to the ground.
The aircraft wreckage was located in very difficult terrain and it took several days for a recovery party to reach the site. It was judged impractical to recover the bodies of the victims and a decision was made to bury them at the scene. Prayer books and wreaths from the High Commissioner and the Sultan of Kelantan were dropped to the recovery party and a communal grave prepared. An RAF aircraft then flew over the site and two chaplains conducted a burial service whilst orbiting the site and this was relayed to those on the ground.
This was the last major accident sustained by 52 Squadron involving the Dakota. Deliveries of the new Valettas to the Squadron commenced in May 1951, with a full compliment of 8 aircraft being reached by late September that year.
There were no survivors from the crash. The men who lost their lives were:-
- Cpl P. Bryant, Crew Commander
- Dvr O. Goldsmith
- Dvr P. Taylor
- Dvr R. Wilson
- F/Lt Edward Taylor, Pilot. 52 Squadron RAF
- Sgt Geoffrey Carpenter, Navigator. 52 Squadron RAF
- Sgt Thomas O’Toole DFM, Signaller. 52 Squadron RAF
- Major John Proctor. The Loyal Regiment
- Mr Anker Rentse. Kelantan Development Corporation
- P.C. Mohammid Jalid. Federation of Malaya Police
- Sakai Tribesman. Name not known
The men who died in the crash are commemorated on the Terendak Military Cemetery Malacca Memorial Wall to those who have no known grave.
From the Malayan Historical Group (MHG)
My thanks to Shaharom Ahmad of MHG for permission to use the following photos and information.
LEFT: The upturned rear of the fuselage of KN630
RIGHT: The tail assembly
LEFT: A Roundel on one of the wings.
The wreck was rediscovered in October 2008 after a long search, following the work of Sgt Geoffrey Carpenter’s brother. The MHG, with the Malaysian Army Museum and the Royal Malaysian Police then mounted an expedition to the crash site.
“It took us several days to reach the wreck site by car and foot. On our investigation, we assumed that the plane was crashed on a vertical dive and the front section was smashed into a stream. 58 years of monsoon climate and weather, the front section was washed away leaving the rear fuselage and starboard wing and 2 engine with her propellers intact.”
In November 2008, the remains of the victims of the crash were exhumed and taken to Kota Baru. It is hoped that DNA testing will identify the remains.
The remains of Police Constable Muhammad Bin Abdul Jali were the first to be identified and he was reburied near his hometown at Bukit Treh, Muar on 6th April, 2011. More recently, Cpl Bryant’s sister was found and this led to the identification of his remains. Cpl Bryant, his crew, and others who died in the crash will now lie in the military section of Cheras Road Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur.
The search goes on for relatives of the other victims of the crash.
Kampong Jenera on Google Maps.