Lieutenant-Commander Vereker Lends a 'Helping' Hand

  Colin Leopold Prendergast "Kim" Vereker, 8th Viscount Gort MHK, JP 

b. 21 June 1916, Thanet, Kent

Father: Leopold George Prendergast Vereker, mother Helen Marjorie [Campbell]

The grandson of the Hon. Foley Charles Prendergast Vereker, the second son of the fourth Viscount.

Ed. at Sevenoaks School, Kent.

He joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in World War II, and was Mentioned in Despatches.

However, it seems he was less than helpful to the ATA in October 1944, when he caused an accident to Lancaster X KB831 at Ronaldsway; "After the aircraft had been correctly dispersed and the controls locked, a gale warning was reported. The Station Engineer Officer, without attempting to contact the crew, incorrectly decided that the forecast strength of the wind neccessitated moving the aircraft to a more sheltered position.

Having apparently insufficient knowledge of the aircraft, he taxied on the two outer engines and eventually lost all brake pressure since this is built up by No. 3 engine.

He lost control of the aircraft on a down-hill portion of the track and it ran into a hangar. It was considered that Lt-Cmdr Vereker appeared to be to blame for this accident and that Flying Control appeared responsible for failing to endeavour to contact the crew."