Flying Officer Kenneth J Trask

231 squadron converted to Mustang 1’s from Tomahawks Mar 43 at Ballyhalbert in County Down, Northern Ireland..

By the time No. 231 joined No. 128 Airfield of Second TAF (Dunsfold) on 22 July 1943, it was fully equipped with Mustangs powered with a 1,200 horsepower Allison V-1710 supercharged 12-cylinder engine. Having flown the squadron’s first offensive operations on 4 July.  

During July 231 squadron moved around a number of bases, Dunsfold, Weston Zyland, Woodchurch and finally in Oct 43 to Redhill.

So, Flying Officer Trask, would have been operating out of Redhill at the time he went missing during a Rhubarb on the 11^th November 1943.

The squadron operational records state he went missing over Cherbourg when the flight was forced to climb through cloud owing to low ceiling. F/O Trask lost contact with his No1 and failed to return home, posted as missing. (See operations record attached)

Son of Albert Oswald and Claudia Adair Trask of Camberwell, Victoria

Flying Officer Kenneth John Trask 409347 was killed in the loss of Mustang 1 AG547 of Number 231 Squadron RAF over Normandy, France.

Kenneth’s memorial and crash site is located between the small village of Couptrain and Madre, at the gates to La Motte Madre on the D214.

The memorial can be seen from the D214, it is just to the right of the gate.

His body lies in Laval Communal Cemetery. Sub section A, Row 28, Grave 42500.

231 was disbanded on 15^th January 1944.