Missing NE airman presumed dead

A Chopwell man Master Signaller Irvine Oliver Cathcart, one of the aircrew serving in the two Shackleton aircraft lost without trace over the Atlantic in January has been presumed dead. Cathcart who lived in Frederick Street Chopwell was on a training flight from St Eval R.A.F. Station Cornwall. The two four engined planes disappeared five minutes after sending a reassuring message and despite a large scale search were never found.

Age 37, Master Signaller Cathcart, joined the R.A.F. as an apprentice at Cranwell and had 16 years flying experience. During the war he served in the Far East.

Married, he leaves two children Michael aged one and Susan who was born two months after her father went missing.

Irvine Oliver Cathcart is remembered at Chopwell on C92.04