Bristol Blenheim MK1V   L9261 - Sandness Hill, Shetland 3/9/41

 

 

Having taken off from 235 Sq base at Sumburgh at 22.00 hrs for a night reconnaissance flight off Faeroe Islands, at 02.45 a radio message was picked up from the pilot saying that some of the instruments had failed and they were unsure of their position, a short while later at approx 03.05 hrs the Blenheim crashed into a small hill  and burst into flames killing all 3 crew members, it is assumed that the crew had dropped below cloud trying to locate their position.

 

    A visit to the crash site in May 2007 revealed some small pieces of wreckage, in the main alloy and some exploded  rounds of .303 ammo.   All the 3 crew were buried with full military honours in Lerwick Cemetery,Shetland. F/Lt Hammond was a New Zealander from Wellington, serving with the RAF.Crew: 

Pilot.      F/Lt Howard M.Hammond. RAF. NZ.

Obs.       P/O  William J.Mason.   RAFVR

W/AG    Sgt     George R.Simpson.   RAFVR

 

Sparse remains of the Blenheim in 2007.  Photos: Dave Earl.

The headstones of the 3 airmen in Lerwick Cemetery.  Photos: Dave Earl.

                                                                

                                                                                                                         

MOSQUITO DZ642  - 627 Sq   ROYL FIELD HILL.  22/11/1944       

                                         

 

The Mosquito was one of 3 sent to lay target markers for a squadron of Lancasters that were to bomb U-boat pens at Trondheim, the Mossies had flown from Woodhall Spa to Lossiemouth then after re-fueling they were off to Norway, however for reasons unclear DZ642 did not have its tanks topped up and this would be a contributory factor in its eventual loss later on.

       The flight to Norway went without episode but on arrival at Trondheim the target was obscured by smoke screen and so had to be aborted and the aircraft turned for home. By this time DZ642 was having problems with radio transmissions and the two other Mossies had to relay messages, also fuel was now noticed to be very low and so a diversion was made to Shetland with hope of landing at Sumburgh, the Air Sea Rescue were notified at Lerwick just in case they had to ditch, when the other aircraft turned for Peterhead, DZ642 tried to make contact  with Sumburgh but reception was very poor and last message was that they were on a heading of 230 degrees, the other two Mossie pilots had heard Sumburgh warning DZ642 that there was high ground in the area of up to 1,000 feet, but this was not acknowledged. 

   

The airwaves eventually went dead and no trace was seen of the Mosquito at Sumburgh or at sea, It was not until 15 days later that 3 shepherds working on Royl Field Hill spotted the wreckage of the aircraft and the two bodies of the Pilot and Navigator, at an investigation by the RAF later  it was established that fuel tanks had expired and that the pilot was trying to crashland on the nearest piece of what looked to be flat ground and the aircraft broke up.

Pilot:   F/Lt John Alexander Reid.  RAF.

Nav:    F/O Wesley Douglas Irwin. RCAF.

 (Main undercarriage leg in 2006 - Photo Dave Earl)

                                                                                                             

Above: A half buried merlin engine from the Mosquito in May 2006. Photo: Dave Earl                                                     

 

                                                                      

Halifax R9438   35 Sq   Fitful Head, Shetland.  31/03/1942

This Halifax along with others of 10, 35 & 76 Squadrons was returning from a raid on the German battleship `Tirpitz` which lay anchored at Asenfjord off the Norwegian coast, the target was obscured by cloud and so reluctant crews made their way back home, it was a dreadful trip and four of the Halifax aircraft were shot down by AA fire while in the target area whilst two others,which according to `The Shetland Crash Log` by David Hanson, "were suffering icing problems and were short on fuel  made their way back towards Shetland "hoping to land at Sumburgh , however the airfield was closed in by low cloud and so a landing could not be made. With regards to icing although this is possible given the time of year,there has been no evidence to prove this occurred in these aircraft, nor is there proof of the fuel shortage, for a Halifax II of this type could offer an endurance of over 1,600 miles depending on altitude,airspeed and handling, and the actual round trip would be 1,300 miles so leaving a margin of over 300 miles,roughly an hours flight time depending on how long was spent over the target area,deviation from track and what not.       

    

Above:  Left a 35 Squadron Halifax and right battleship `Tirpitz` at anchor in a Norwegian Fjord.  

  One Halifax R9453 of 76 Squadron and coded  `MP-K`  was being flown by S/Ldr A.P.Burdett  flew south and had perhaps decided to try and make the Orkney Isles or Wick, however he had not flown far when the aircraft for reasons still not clear  ditched, his body and a wheel being found 16 miles off Sumburgh Head,but none of his crew were ever found suggesting the aircraft sank very quickly. 

      The other Halifax R9438  of 35 Squadron coded `TL-H` and being flown by F/Sgt J.B.Bushby had decided to do a circuit and it is said by a witnesses who found the bodies on two men with parachutes on that the crew were perhaps preparing to bale out should Sumburgh not be found, sadly they were too low anyhow, possibly due to icing or trouble with altimeter or baromic pressure guage? and while coming back towards Sumburgh from the West they flew into the 1,000 ft cliffs of Fitful Head, the aircraft exploded and all the crew were killed instantly. Due to the steepness of the cliff not all the bodies were recovered and it is a fact that one was buried on the side of the cliff and a priest was lowered by ropes to conduct a service. one more was washed up from the sea but was not positively identified and is buried in Lerwick Cemetery as an Unknown airman. and two identified Usher & Buckley were also buried in Lerwick,others are on Runnymede Memorial. Locals concerned that these men should not be forgotten funded a memorial stone tablet which was placed a the top of the cliff, it bears the names of all the crew. 

Above:  The cliff at Fitful Head where R9438 crashed, nothing remains at the crash site as all the wreckage cascaded into the sea so no attempt should be made to climb down this dangerous spot, ARGOS would like to point out that as four of the crew members could not be recovered then strictly speaking this site remains a WAR GRAVE.  Photo: Dave Earl.

Crew of  R9438 :

Pilot:      F/Sgt  Joseph.B.Bushby.   RAFVR.

2/Pilot:   Sgt    Anonthy J.Peach.  RAFVR.

Nav:       Sgt    Geoffrey N.E.Powell. RAFVR.

F/Eng:    Sgt    Ronald Meredith.  RAFVR. 

W/Ag:    P/O   Moses L.Usher.  RCAF.

W/Ag:    F/Sgt  John P.B.Buckley.  RCAF.

A/G:       Sgt   John A,Wood.   RAFVR.

  Photo: Dave Earl.

More information on the raid and this aircraft and crew and of others in the flight can be found in `Hell On High Ground - Volume 2` and also on this excellent website  http://www.archieraf.co.uk/archie/30_31march1942.html  tastefuly made by the grandaughter of one of the lost Halifax crew members, F/Sgt W.B.Archibald in R9496 that crashed in Norway. Linzee Druce  has spent years researching these aircraft and travelled to Norway on numerous occasions to seek the truth. 

 

Close up of the stone tablet which gives a brief discription of the crash the names of those lost.  Photo: Dave Earl.    

 

Wireless Op & Air Gunner  P/O Moses Usher RCAF and the Unknown Sergeant in Lerwick cemetery buried next to Usher & Buckley who is certain to be either Sgt Peach,Powell or Wood from the Halifax.