WW2 RAF Spitfire Pilot Death 'An Accident'

Squadron Leader Daniel Cremin was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in Iraq. (Image: family handout/PA).

An RAF pilot died accidentally when his Spitfire and another crashed in mid-air during a training exercise, a coroner has found.

Squadron Leader Daniel Cremin was killed while testing new Spitfire planes over Cornwall on March 24 in 1942.

The 25-year-old's family were sent a sealed coffin purportedly carrying his remains and he was buried at Wardour Roman Catholic Cemetery in Tisbury, Wiltshire.

But in June last year, metal detectorist Stuart Palmer discovered the Australian pilot's bones after digging down four feet at the crash site, a known war grave, near St Erth, Hayle.

Mr Palmer called Devon and Cornwall Police, who worked with the Ministry of Defence and local archaeologists to recover the remains.

They were confirmed as those of Sqn Ldr Cremin following DNA testing with his son Mark, now 78.

A second service was arranged at the Wiltshire cemetery and Sqn Ldr Cremin's remains were interred in his original grave with military honours in November.

Barrie van den Berg, assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, described the inquest as "very interesting" and "unusual".

"Daniel Edward Cremin died as a result of a mid-air collision with another Spitfire," the coroner said.

"The death occurred at Frythens Farm, St Erth, and his remains were only discovered 70-odd years later.

"The inquiry into his death makes it clear that the cause of death is an accident and the inquest is going to record that."

Detective Sergeant Nigel Green said records showed Sqn Ldr Cremin, in Spitfire AB462, took off from Portreath at 9.20pm on March 24 in 1942.

Another Australian pilot, Sergeant William Norman, took off in Spitfire AB496.

"The planes collided in mid-air," Det Sgt Green told the inquest.

"Both pilots were killed and the wreckage landed in two adjacent fields."

A board of inquiry took place on March 27 that year and found that Sgt Norman "misjudged" the distance between his Spitfire and that flown by Sqn Ldr Cremin.

"Sgt Norman's plane proceeded to nose-dive straight into the ground, while Sqn Ldr Cremin's plane span down as it lost a wing," Det Sgt Green said.

"The board of inquiry found it was a tragic flying accident.

"He misjudged the distance flying quite fast and quite low."

Born in Sydney in 1917, Sqn Ldr Cremin enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1936.

He was commissioned in the Royal Air Force two years later after being part of a pilot exchange scheme between Britain and Australia.

In 1938 he served in the Middle East, being promoted to flight lieutenant two years later.

He won a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1941 for his bravery during the siege of Habbaniya in Iraq.

The inscription on Sqr Ldr Cremin's grave reads: "He left the vivid air signed with his honour."