Mosquito Mk XVI NS555 ,High Wycombe Buckinghamshire 8th June 1944, RAF Watton

A work trip meant a chance to see if I could find a crash site near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and I was lucky to be able to find the site thanks to a very old picture from the recovery of remains in 1972.

Mosquito PR Mk XVI NS555 of the 802 Recon group, 8th provisional recon squadron at RAF Watton was tasked to fly a ‘Rooster‘ mission over the invasion beaches on the 8th June 1944. Taking off from Watton the plane with 2 crew headed south and out over the channel, the 2 experienced men on-board Pilot Cpt. Walter C Gernand and 10 mission veteran cameraman Sgt. Ebbet C Lynch completed the photo run and headed back over the English coast to a refuel stop at RAF Middle Wallop.

Leaving Middle Wallop NS555 climbed on its final leg home into overcast weather, later near High Wycombe around 7pm locals could hear a plane in trouble above the clouds, the engines were being throttled on and off power.

Suddenly NS555 was seen to break out of the clouds in a near vertical dive both engines at full power, beyond recovery the mosquito turned slightly before impacting a railway embankment just off London Road near Pinions Bridge [now gone]. Tragically both crew were lost with the plane.

An investigation was held into the crash and recorded a verdict of loss of control whilst on instruments.

Walking on top of the embankment nothing can be seen of this sad loss but a clear patch on the bank and a break in the trees. A dig carried of the out by members of the Wellsbourne Adult Education centre recovered remains and one of the Merlin engines now resides in the De Havilland aircraft museum Salisbury hall, London Colney.

 

Oxford X7064 of 11 Advanced Flying Unit RAF Wrexham Moel y Gamelin

A visit to North Wales with a friend to visit 2 sites near Llangollen the first is one I didn't think i could find easily as information is almost non existent .

This site is on the flanks of Moel y Gamelin, Denbighshire and contains the last remains of Airspeed Oxford X7064 of 11 Advanced Flying Unit RAF Wrexham 20th February 1944 .

X7064 took off at night for a local survey flight with 2 crew the plane was to have stayed local to the airbase and the flight was to have only lasted for about 1 hour but in the dark the crew strayed away from Wrexham and into high ground to the west , the plane was seen in the mountains near Llangollen shortly later an explosion and flames were seen high on Moel y Gamelin, rescuers climbed to the site but sadly both crew were beyond help .

On the slope a small crater holds a collection of pieces of the Oxford others parts are spread over the slope for some distance .

From this site looking west you can make out the scar of my next site.

Crew =

Warrant Officer Robert Mead Sinclair RCAF

Sgt Christopher Bewick , RAuxAF

 

Tigermoth T6464 No.24 Elementary Flying Training School 12th of April 1945 ,RAF Sealand , Chester , Chew Reservoir Saddleworth

From my last trip into the peaks .

On the 12th of April 1945 Sgt Michael O’Connell RNZAF Took off from RAF Sealand , Chester in Tigermoth T6464 No.24 Elementary Flying Training School .

The flight was a cross country training flight towards Manchester nearing the high ground of Saddleworth moors the plane entered low cloud and mist the young and inexperienced pilot either became disoriented or fell victim to pressonitis but sadly the Tiger Moth impacted sloping ground near Chew Reservoir with the tragic loss of Sgt O,Connell .

On the moor today in a depression a shallow water filled crater can be seen and nearby a few alloy parts in a collection nothing really identifiable but a look in the grass showed up some surprisingly well preserved canvas remains still showing paint I left them in their hiding place

 

Lysander V9403 Mk 111a of 6 AACU [anti-aircraft co-operation unit] , V9403 Ringway, Manchester 19th of August 1941

 From my last trip to the peaks .

On the flat featureless Slate Pit moors, Saddleworth near to Chew Reservoir is a small collection of remains easily missed by the walker.

These few bits are the last reminder of the crash of Lysander V9403 Mk 111a of 6 AACU [anti-aircraft co-operation unit] , V9403 took off with 2 crew from its home of Ringway, Manchester on the 19th of August 1941 to fly to Rhyl on a visit to the anti-aircraft units stationed there.

Climbing over a blacked out city, the pilot set his course by his compass and headed off on what he believed was a route to the west, but either due to a compass malfunction as the pilot stated or as the enquiry judged an error by the pilot, the plane turned not over the flat plains of Cheshire but East into high ground.

Skimming the moors the plane impacted the flat grass and flipped over onto its back, this trapped both crew. Injured but alive thankfully there was no fire but also no rescue, the 2 crew had to endure through a day and a night until a water worker spotted the wreck and called for help.

Both crew were rescued but sadly the radio operator LAC A.M.Chadwick passed away from his injuries 3 days later.

Sat by the scar I did spot a couple of interesting bits in the grass at the edge of the site a small rubber pulley and a small piece of black Bakelite marked FX2.

Crew =

P/o F.W.Hoddinott

LAC A.M.Chadwick