Belfast-born Sergeant Paul McLarnon served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with No. 11 Operational Training Unit. He died on 3rd September 1942.
Sergeant
999862
Sergeant Paul McLarnon (999862) served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. He was born in Belfast.
McLarnon died on 3rd September 1942 aged 22 years old while serving in R.A.F. No. 11 Operational Training Unit. He was a Rear Gunner on Vickers Wellington DV718 on a cross-country night flying training exercise. The crew took off from R.A.F. Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England.
The Wellington bomber traveled north running into poor weather over the Yorkshire Dales. Visibility was poor and the crew lost their bearings in low cloud and heavy rain. Descending to a lower level, the crew found themselves over high ground, coming down on Blake Hill, Riggs Moor, Great Whernside, Yorkshire, England. A fire broke out on impact destroying most of the Wellington’s fuselage.
McLarnon’s grave is in Section B, Row V.A., Grave 93 of Milltown Cemetery, Belfast.