December 2, 2012 at 9:39 am
On another forum that I frequent the following request for information has been made:
“Hello, I am new on here. I am retired and now live near Portsmouth Hants but grew up on the Surrey/Sussex border near Haslemere. I am very interested in military aircraft and their history.
One of the reasons for joining is to find out more about the ‘Camelsdale Spitfire’ which crashed onto Marley Common on the 14th February 1948.
I was then four years old and lived less than a mile away. My dad took me to the site and I still remember the smell of Glycol, I think that the body of the pilot Kenneth Crawford D.F.C RAF had been taken away.
I had never really forgotten about the crash and then about ten years ago, before I had the internet I contacted somebody by post and they very rapidly sent me full details of the aircraft that they had obtained and the story was that the aircraft was returning to Farnborough in low vis. when it hit the hill.
Unfortunately I lost all these details but now I have started looking again. I did find a photo of the small memorial stone at the site that I did not know was there. And very precise location details.
Briefly, I cannot find the serial number or registration details, nor Mk. of the aircraft on the web after searching for hours! Also where did the pilot originate from?
Also I intend to visit the site fairly soon and if anyone has been there perhaps they might know how visible the small memorial is on the common. Any info. welcome. Thanks.”
Can anyone help me help the poster of that request?
By: avion ancien - 2nd December 2012 at 11:42
Thank you, both. I’ll pass that information on.
By: paulmcmillan - 2nd December 2012 at 11:25
This will be Mk XVI SL671 of 601 Sqn at Marley Common?
Mark.
Yes “final landings” by Colin Cummings confirms
By: Mark12 - 2nd December 2012 at 11:06
This will be Mk XVI SL671 of 601 Sqn at Marley Common, Sussex?
Reported as flew in to high ground in cloud on a low-level navex on 14 Feb 1948.
Mark.