Discussion
I have just discovered that one of these lies under a farm field a couple of miles from here. It was apparently brought down by a Defiant.
This was the only aircraft brought down in the area and nobody knows anything about it locally. I've dug around a little on the internet and all of the crew parachuted to safety. The pilot of the Defiant also survived the war.
I think it's a bit of a shame that what must have been a dramatic action has been completely forgotten.
This was the only aircraft brought down in the area and nobody knows anything about it locally. I've dug around a little on the internet and all of the crew parachuted to safety. The pilot of the Defiant also survived the war.
I think it's a bit of a shame that what must have been a dramatic action has been completely forgotten.
Eric Mc said:
There were thousands of such incidents all over the UK. And it hasn't been COMPLETELY forgotten - you've been able to find out some information on the incident for a start.
The way to get it back into the knowledge of the modern public is to, perhaps, organise a campaign for a memorial plaque. But, in the end, no one died in this particular event so what is there to memorialise?
There were thousands of such events indeed but this was the only one in this area. It had been attacking Manchester and was hit on it's way home.The way to get it back into the knowledge of the modern public is to, perhaps, organise a campaign for a memorial plaque. But, in the end, no one died in this particular event so what is there to memorialise?
I've had to look into the history of this area during the second world war recently (there is a good local history group) but nobody could shed much light on this event. I agree there's nothing to commemorate but it's of great interest to me and I suspect others. We're near Woodford here (which assembled Lancasters) and there's a bit of interest in aviation. It brought home the reality of the impact of the war to me when I found out about it and I think it would be useful in, for example, school history lessons as an illustration of the scope of the war.
By coincidence I got talking to an elderly couple in a cafe whilst out cycling locally yesterday and the old boy had been a Lancaster pilot.
Eric Mc said:
Has the site been dug by archeologists at any time in the past 30 years or so?
Apparently the MOD (?) attempted to excavate the site 21 years ago but abandoned the effort after six weeks. The farmer is not happy about people visiting the site.I wonder if any of the crew members are still alive.
Good point about the website.
Edited to add: I've just seen the model, it wouldn't have been in that condition when it hit, the explosion was felt for miles around.
It's difficult to sift fact from false memories though, in my recent research I was talking to a lady who's mother used to tell a story about a fighter pulling a victory roll low over the village and she seemed to believe it was the Defiant that downed the He111. I think it is most unlikely as it would have been pitch dark.
Edited by mattviatura on Monday 3rd October 12:31
Eric Mc said:
Excellent.
See, it's not really forgotten.
Eric you've missed my point. It isn't forgotten for people with a specific interest in aviation, but talk to people locally (even the village local history society) and nobody has the first clue.See, it's not really forgotten.
I'm not sure if I'm in a minority of one here but something like this would've electrified a boring history lesson for me and might have made me listen a bit harder. It makes history real.
Eric Mc said:
History teachers in school don't have much time to do their own research into local history - especially if they are being railroaded into reaching "relevant" PC history such as how nasty the slave trade was or how the British Empire was an evil and nasty institution that brought no benefits to the world.
Sadly I concur.I mean it's not as though the consequences of world war two are having any effect on what happens on the news today is it? Much.
Wrong forum for that debate but you're absolutely right.
dr_gn said:
Do you have "Peakland Air Crashes" by Pat Cunningham? This is the best researched series of books on the subject I've come across.
No but I've just won a bookshop voucher so I'll see if I can turn it up, although this isn't quite the Peak area as such.Have you made one of these?
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff