Flight Sergeant Alexander Magowan McVea (590584) served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was the son of David McVea and Sara McVea of Portavogie, Co. Down.
He died on 14th April 1941 aged 25 years old. At the time, he was a Pilot with RAF 216 Squadron. In 1941, this squadron flew as a Royal Air Force transport squadron. Duties included transporting other squadrons throughout the Middle East, to and from Greece, as well as maintaining supply routes. The supply routes covered from the Gold Coast to the Middle East and planes from RAF 216 Squadron also dropped supplies during the siege of Tobruk.
On 14th April 1941, Bristol Bombay L5830 took off from an airfield in Lagos, Nigeria. A tyre burst while the transport plane accelerated down the runway. The undercarriage collapsed and the Bombay veered off the runway, tipping up onto its nose and bursting into flames. Out of the 5 crew members, 3 died as a result of the crash. Authorities wrote off the aircraft, as fire destroyed the wreckage.
Remembering the crew of Bombay L5830
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McVea | Alexander Magowan | Flight Sergeant | Pilot | RAFVR 590584. Killed. |
| Wimhurst | Victor Sidney | Sergeant | Wireless Operator | RAFVR 543180. Killed. |
| Croft | James | Leading Aircraftman | RAFVR 532949. Killed. | |
| Ward | SSS | Sergeant | Injured. | |
| Smith | FJ | Aircraftman | Injured. |
Alexander Magowan McVea’s grave is in Grave 363 of Ikoyi No. 2 Cemetery, Lagos, Nigeria. His name is on the McVea family headstone in Cloughey Presbyterian Church, Cloughey, Co. Down. His headstone in Nigeria bears the inscription:
In the mansions of the blessed, we shall surely meet again.