Father: Archibald Couser prev. Post Office Telephone Engineer; RAF (LAC) Address in 1944: 75 High Pleasance, Falkirk, Stirlingshire Postings: 5TFPP One accident, not his fault - 9 Feb 1944, his Magister was in a "slight collision in mid-air" with another Magister, denting the ends of his propeller. "A very keen and alert type who has, on the whole, shown average progress and ability although he is a little inclined to rush himself at times in his enthusiasm."
d. 17 Aug 1944 (age 24) as a passenger in Oxford PH235, piloted by First Officer Thomas Frank Thompson (M.841). Ferrying from Airspeed's factory in Portsmouth to 44 MU Edzell, Angus, Scotland; for an unknown reason (possibly hitting HT cables), the aircraft dived into the ground at about 17:30 near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. The other passenger, Third Officer John Douglas Dale (M.968) was also killed.
Buried 22 Aug 1944 in Camelon Cemetery, Falkirk: Sec 12 Grave 662.
"Killed on Active Service in Cheshire, Eng." Dearly Beloved Son of ARCHIBALD & LILY COUSER The Above ARCHIBALD COUSER, Died 28th Oct. 1947, Aged 58 Years. Also the above LILY COUSER Died 5th Jan. 1980 Aged 85 Years
"Mr and Mrs Archibald Couser, 75 High Pleasance, Falkirk, received official intimation last week that their only son, Third Officer Archibald Campbell Couser, Air Transport Auxiliary, had been killed on active service. Third Officer Couser, who was 24 years of age, a native of Falkirk and a former pupil of Falkirk High School. On leaving school, he obtained employment in the telephone engineering department of Falkirk Post Office, and continued in that until he proceeded to service with the Royal Air Force in May of last year. In September last he was transferred to the Air Transport Auxiliary. Since his lamented death, his parents have received many letters offering condolences in their bereavement, including one from Sir Stafford Cripps, Minister of Aircraft Production, who wrote: “His work for the Air Transport Auxiliary was, as you know, extremely important to our war effort, and we can ill afford to lose such a valuable pilot and officer as your son had proved himself to be. His loss will be greatly felt by all his colleagues." Mr A. H. Brown, telephone manager of the South- West Telephone Area, also wrote expressing regret, adding that Third Officer Couser had held the respect and esteem ‘of all his colleagues in the department and that he was of an extremely zealous and industrious nature, and would undoubtedly have had a successful career in the Post Office. Sympathy from the High School was expressed in a letter from the rector, Mr A. C. Mackenzie. In civil life, Third Officer Couser’s chief interest outside of his work was music. He was an accomplished pianist, and was associated as such for some time with the Imperial Dance Band. He was also fond of swimming and skating." - Falkirk Herald - Saturday 26 August 1944
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Falkirk Herald
