Warrant Officer William George Mewha (816190) served in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force during the Second World War. He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Wasson Mewha of 14 York Crescent, Shore Road, Belfast.
Before the outbreak of the Second World War, William was a motor mechanic with Messrs. Charles Hurst Ltd. at Montgomery Street, Belfast. He enlisted in the Auxiliary Air Force in March 1939 with the threat of war on the horizon.
William was an Observer / Radar Operator with RAF 502 Squadron at the time of his death on 30th July 1942 aged 22 years old. At 2224hrs on 29th July, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Z9192 landed at RAF Predannack, Cornwall damaging a tail wheel. At 1430hrs on 30th July 1942, the repaired plane took off bound for St. Eval carrying the crew of 6 and 3 ground crew who assisted in the repairs. Reports suggest the Whitley stalled on approach to the St. Eval airfield.
The plane came down in fields at Merlin Farm, St. Mawgan, Cornwall. The crash site was around 1.5 miles from the local Police House. A total of 9 people; 6 crew members and 3 passengers died in the burning wreckage.
Remembering the crew of Whitley Z9192
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrett | Edward | Aircraftman 2nd Class | Passenger | 816224. Killed aged 28 years old. From Belfast. |
| Brown | Robert Augustus | Corporal | Passenger | AAF 816108. Killed aged 32 years old. From Belfast. |
| Douglas | George Robertson | Flight Sergeant | Air Gunner | RAFVR 568410. Killed aged 22 years old. |
| Endicott | Leonard John | Pilot Officer | Pilot | RAFVR 115749. Killed aged 30 years old. |
| Gethings | Geoffrey Ronald | Pilot Officer | Observer | RAFVR 120940. Killed. |
| Mewha | William George | Warrant Officer | Observer / Radar Operator | AAF 816190. Killed aged 22 years old. |
| Nicholls | Harold Herbert | Aircraftman 2nd Class | Passenger | RAFVR 1212095. Killed aged 21 years old. |
| Powell | William Elwyn | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | RAFVR 922754. Killed aged 24 years old. |
| Smith | Frederick Newman | Sergeant | Pilot | RCAF R73244. Killed aged 24 years old. |
William George Mewha’s grave is in Section AC, Grave 137 of Carnmoney Cemetery, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim. Reverend F.R. Gibson of Alexandra Presbyterian Church conducted the service at which there were 22 floral wreaths, one for each year of the airman’s life.