Flight Lieutenant Richard Ernest RUSHMORE (1942)

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Born 3 January 1925
Died 16 August 1946, aged 21
Buried at Delhi War Cemetery, India.

Richard Rushmore was the son of A E Rushmore of Melksham, Wiltshire.

He was educated at King Edward’s School, Bath.

Whilst serving with 322 Maintenance Unit at RAF Cawnpore in Chakeri, India, Flight Lieutenant Rushmore was killed when he crashed his Harvard II, serial number FS802, whilst performing unauthorised low-level aerobatics.

From The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), Saturday 24 August 1946:

AIRMAN CHOSE THE HARD WAY – AND DIED

Flight-Lieutenant Richard Rushmore, 21-year-old Oxford undergraduate, lived the hard way.

While training in Canada in 1943, under the Empire Air Scheme, he injured his spine. He could have stayed in hospital a long time, but he tore off his plaster jacket, reported fit, and in due time became an operational fighter-pilot in Europe. After Germany's defeat he was offered a staff job because of his fine qualities, but he refused and said he wanted to go to the Far East, since Japan was still unbeaten. After Japan gave up Flight Lieutenant Rushmore could have been demobilised in order to return to his studies at Oxford. But he said: "No, send me to an air experimental squadron." His wish was granted, and the other day he was killed in a flying accident in India.