About this web site and the booklet
The purpose of this booklet and web site is to put on permanent record
as much as possible of the history of the Crash of the Beaufighter JL710
beside St Mogue’s Island on 17th March 1943.
Although I’ve always been interested in the ‘plane crash
on the Island and collected many small pieces of it I knew very little
of the truth about the event.
The interest was re-sparked when neighbours who had a wide interest
in WW II aeroplanes asked questions which I couldn’t answer. The
meeting with John and Sue Patterson was the start of a lasting friendship.
Dennis Burke who runs the web site listing all the belligerent air
crashes of WW II in Ireland <www.skynet.ie/~dan/war>
was able to find at the suggestion of David Earl the Pilot’s name
from records at the RAF Museum Hendon.
John Patterson who was used to researching genealogical web sites diligently
searched for the name ‘Kukura’ and eventually found a Stephanie
Kukura who some years earlier had asked on a genealogical forum for
information about her husband’s ancestors. John wrote to her,
surprisingly she still used the same email address and replied that
she was married to a nephew of Richard the pilot of the aircraft .
This booklet and the web site tell the rest of the story as far as
we have so far found out.
If you can add anything please contact
and we’ll put the information on the web site
at www.bawnboy.utvinternet.com/Beaufighter-JL710
where you should be to find the latest information. Alternatively you
may visit www.bawnboy.com
where you’ll find links to Bawnboy related web pages.
Some of the references on this page of the web site refer to items
in the booklet only as they are available on other web sites and are
linked to from the links page. |
Acknowledgements and Thanks
Many thanks are due to: Richard, Olga, Nikki. Lynette and Stephanie
Kukura without whom this booklet and web site wouldn’t have been
possible.
The story by Richard Kukura in this booklet is part of what may become
his War Time Memoirs and may not be copied without his permission .
© Richard Kukura 2004
Liz Rothwell provided photographs and an article about her Father’s
time in Ireland and subsequently which are much appreciated.
Thanks are also due to so many others who made useful contributions
to the research, this booklet and the web site: Aidan McGovern, Benny
Reilly, Ciaran Maguire, David Breiden, Frank Reilly, Gene P Owen McGovern,
Georgie Gault, James McGovern, Kevin McCaffrey, Oliver Brady, Phil McManus,
Seamus Brady, Sean McHugh, Sean O’Reilly, Sean Smith, Tommy ‘Tucker’
McGovern, Patrick Duffy, John Patterson, Dennis Burke and Dave Earl.
Apologies to those who have helped but been left out.
The photograph of Initial Training School, Pearce, Perth, W.A. was
provided by the Australian War Memorial Collection.
The map on the page 46 of the booklet and this site is from the Ordnance
Survey Ireland 1:50 000 Discovery Series No: 27A and should be available
at all good book shops or from their web site at www.irlgov.ie/osi
Thank you to all the sponsors
of the Commemoration
ceremony on 16th July and to the many volunteers who
made the day such a success.
Finally, a huge 'Thank You' to Sue and John Patterson for all the support
and help with the preparation and layout of the booklet.
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