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
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