WW2 Aircraft Crash - Unique moments after Part 1 Disaster
An Epsom resident working on the history of its wartime Squadron RAF 78th Squadron and asked the Epsom and Ewell Local and Family History Center if they had details of a flight in wartime accident near Barn 30 acres just over the boundary of the borough Ashtead This demand has lead a team of volunteers from the history center to begin research on aircraft accidents in times of war local Remarkably, they found strong evidence for 15 accidents, nine occurred during the battle of the Kingdom period July 10 to October 31, 1940, and reports of another one on Epsom Downs, which is difficult to verify.
Reports on two of these accidents and two pilots see links below have been kindly made available on this website by Bert Barnhurst Epsom Ewell history Local Family Center Opens in a new window If you have something you can add to these reports or provide informaion on other accidents please contact Bert at the history Center.
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT IN THIS FIELD AT BATTLE OF ENGLAND DURING July 10 to October 31, 1940.
Landing the RAC Woodcote club after repelling an attack on RAF Kenley.
Shot down by flak while repelling the attack on RAF Kenley and crashed at The Oaks, Coulsdon.
2 Crashed Cuddington Way, Ewell Cause unknown.
These three entries illustrate how the uncertain fate of the airmen could be Sgt Frantisek represented 17 German planes during the Battle of Britain.
The precise site of the accident was questioned say operational records reported to be near Wallington Battle of Britain, then and now says, The Oaks Coulsdon as quoted here, it was also suggested that it might be Woodmansterne Golden Oaks Park green leaves near Biggin Hill NB The truth may never be known.
Anson - Accident Report pinned to support and crew talking about.
Even a Lysander said to have landed outside the Derby Arms.
Hampden Flight 44 Image source Squadron The Hampden file by Harry Moyle.
Hampden AD913 KM-K 44 Squadron departed Waddington 20 45 on September 2, 1941, with crew by pilot Sgts Knight, Spanner, J Stephens sic and Churchill, for Frankfurt on the engine area target port failed hit by flak and the aircraft struggled to return to base he was dropped on 02 Dorking 45 of 9 March 1941 and all but Sgt Stevens reached the ground in complete safety Stevens, W Op Air Gunner, who was killed earlier failed to leave the plane and his body was found near the wreckage View short after midnight - plane struck.
Death was recorded locally in September 1941 Surrey Mid E - James Stevens 33 years old - and it was reported KIA in The Times October 10, 1941 751 652 CWGC buried Sgt Stevens J RAFVR Eastbourne Ocklynge cemetery Florence E Parents George Stevens of Eastbourne.
We thank Brian Bouchard to provide additional information.
There is some time, we recorded the details of a crashed plane on Headley Heath who descended into the night of 2 September 3, 1941, unfortunately Handley Page Hampden of 44 Squadron crashed Rhodesia The pilot, the port engine Sgt Knight cut above the target and returned on the remaining engine that failed him while Dorking plane was abandoned and the crew reached the ground safely except Stevens sergeant who was killed the plane itself was reported to be down near Headley Court and was burned.
Details of this can be found in Bomber Command losses WR Chorley, short after midnight by Roland Geiger - The mission and had lost.
Recently we have received reports and surveys that the aircraft was not Hampden, but in fact was a Vickers Wellington requests otherwise, Wellington 150 Squadron was the accident on the same night, 2 September 3 1941, but the book WR Chorley said the accident as near Kenley, which is about seven or eight miles from Headley robbery or the stolen Wellington.
Two men, a Mr. John Arthur together with another man who still lives in the region Headley, who were young at the time, stated categorically that separately Wellington came down on the moor at night in question two of them reported independently the location of the accident site within ten yards of each other, in the area that is now the National Trust Car Park.
Wellington finished her skidding on Headley Heath next to the tag that was hidden in a fixed position for most of the war, I believe the Hampden crashed Tyrrells Wood, near Headley Court.
Sketch map showing the location of the air accident Click on the image to enlarge the map with the permission of Mr. Headley.
It was too much of a coincidence not to be prosecuted more Chorley indicates that the driver name, Dickenson sergeant, but none of the crew on the verification of 150 Squadron operating records unfortunately they registered the name driver and did not understand the crew as pilot, Dickenson, stated in operational files stealing again about two weeks later - ironically the same target as the cause of their fall - it clearly indicates a landing emergency from which the crew walked away as the Canadian website, indicates that Canadian unity guarded aircraft wrecked on Headley Heath for eleven days, the circumstances seem to confirm.
The Canadian website clearly indicates that two Wellington bomber crashed on European return flights crashed in flames a few hundred yards from their headquarters and body was burned on the other made an emergency landing on Headley Heath, the crew were unharmed and the plane remained intact but a long process of dismantling was necessary with the result that the warning displayed above the unit was to remain for 11 days the circumstances suggest that the plane was to be burned Hampden as a twin-engine aircraft fire could look much the same as another.
It is always good to receive reports of eyewitnesses to help verify the circumstances that can become confused about the passage of time and we have to the two gentlemen who helped to clarify the facts of this particular accident.
For more updated information on this accident please follow this link to the February 2017 issue of our newsletter - Lives time - where Mary Roberts, widow of the browser on the flight, and his son, Ian Roberts, confirm it was a Wellington.
The crushing of local aircraft during World War 2, Local, aircraft, accidents, aircraft Headley Heath.