Richard Foote Cairns
Engineer, aircraft production
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Son of Harry Lister Cairns and Rhoda Banks Cairns, of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; husband of Barbara Shankland Cairns. Born in Balderton in 1918, the family moved to Montreal, Canada in 1932.
After attending public school and high school, Richard graduated from Vancouver Technical College with a diesel engineering degree in 1938. The following year Richard joined the R.C.A.F, after a short time with the Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment).
Wellington HF613 22 OTU took off during the mid-morning of the 15th February 1943 from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford near Stratford upon Avon for a cross country flight. At just after 13:00 the aircraft descended out of bad weather (possibly due to icing) and became enveloped in a snow storm, shortly afterwards the aircraft crashed, seemingly out of control, with a steep nose down attitude near Hermitage Farm, Hope, Derbyshire. The aircraft slide for a short distance, crossing the river and striking a large embankment on the other side where the aircraft was completely destroyed, killing all the crew.
Also killed ;
Sgt John Kester RCAF
Sgt William Hackett RCAF
Sgt Bernard Wilkinson RCAF
Sgt William Marwood RAF
Richard’s father, Harry Lister Cairns, had served during the First World War with the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant, having been commissioned from a sergeant on December 3 1916.
Photo of Richard Foote Cairns