On 28th June 1944, Fairey Swordfish LS182 crashed at Enagh, Co. Londonderry. The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 836 Squadron plane took off from HMS Shrike/RAF Maydown, Co. Londonderry in the hands of the unit's commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Ransford Ward Slater.
The Mark II Swordfish LS182 struck power cables near the Co. Londonderry airfield at Maydown. It crashed and caught fire. All 3 crew members died in the incident.
Remembering the crew of LS182
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slater | Ransford Ward | Lieutenant Commander | Pilot | OBE. Killed aged 30 years old. |
| Lawrie | Anthony Wyndham Evans | Lieutenant | Killed aged 26 years old. | |
| Hodkinson | Harold Denis | Lieutenant | Killed aged 27 years old. |
Under Slater, 836 Squadron underwent several changes. He arranged for the airmen and ship’s crews to work as closer teams. Aircrews signed ships articles and for this received 1 shilling per month and a bottle of beer per day. They also wore a small Merchant Navy lapel badge, which caused a little upset with some senior Royal Navy officers.
Slater received an OBE for his efforts during the Second World War. Under him, the squadron grew to a record 91 planes; each painted white for better camouflage over water.