Sergeant Thomas Kaye RAFVR, (1051935), pilot, died age 22 in an accident at RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire on 31 August 1941. He was the pilot of Bristol Beaufort Mk. I AW213 of RAF 86 Squadron attached to Coastal Command. Kaye was killed when his Beaufort crashed into a parked Lockheed Hudson of RAF 407 Squadron during take-off.
In June 1941, RAF 86 squadron started to re-equip with the Bristol Beaufort Mark I. Initially, they performed mine-laying, reconnaissance, and air-sea rescue patrols but in October 1941, they undertook torpedo training, leading to torpedo bomber operations commencing on 11 November 1941.
Kaye was the son of Thomas and Helen Luna Kaye of Colintraive, 39 Queen Street, Craigie, Perth. He was educated at Perth Academy and went to St Andrews University. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of war; he joined the RAF in June of 1940. Kaye is buried in Wellshill Cemetery, Perth.
ROYAL AIR FORCE COASTAL COMMAND, 1939-1945. (C 2249) Low-level oblique photograph taken from one of 3 Bristol Beauport’s of No. 86 Squadron RAF, attacking shipping in St Peter Port, Guernsey. The aircraft are passing over St Julian’s Pier at its junction with White Rock Pier: bombs can be seen falling from the aircraft in the left-hand corner, which was itself nearly hit by bombs dropped from the photographing aircraft (seen exploding at the bottom)… Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211333
ROYAL AIR FORCE COASTAL COMMAND, 1939-1945. (CH 7493) Three Bristol Beaufort Mark Is of No. 86 Squadron RAF Detachment based at St Eval, Cornwall, flying in formation over the sea.. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210129
