Flying Officer Klonko
54 Squadron B Flight
Hornchurch AF
27 July 1940 0800 hrs- Patrol
Approximately 3 minutes after takeoff the Hurricanes of Flying Officers Chris Klonko and Ethan Bowne collided. Both pilots were killed.
Flying Officer Klonko had gained eight victories during 15 operational sorties while flying with 54 Squadron and was recently awarded the Air Force Cross. He leaves behind his Wife, Dorothy, and children Oliver and Sarah. He will be sorely missed.
Bad luck there! 54 Squadron should be flying Spitfires, though; it was the squadron Al Deere served in at that time, moving back north from Hornchurch to Catterick for a rest about the day of your report. I think I still have the Hasegawa 1/72 kit I built years back of his Spit KL-B, 'Kiwi', in a box in the loft.