Does anyone out there know anything about an incident in August of 1939 when a Miles Magister, alledgedly piloted by a Peter Lemon of 37 Squadron, collided with some power lines and blacked out the whole of Norfolk?
Any information will, as always, be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
kev35
By: Moggy C - 26th November 2003 at 16:31
Brandon is now on the extended centreline for what I think is runway 24 at Lakenheath. The sky is full of Eagles.
Awful town. A complete and total electrical blackout is probably the second best thing that could happen to it.
One of the F15s dropping a small nuke in error being the best – as long as the wind is blowing away from Feltwell. 🙁
Moggy
By: Snapper - 26th November 2003 at 15:58
I’ve just been and had a look at the microfilm of the Eastern Daily Press newspaper for the 2nd and 3rd of August 1939, and found no mention of the blackout. If I get some more time soon I’ll go and have a more in-depth poke about, but I would have thought it would show up the day after the prang surely? I would assume in that case that the blackout was not over a particularly large area, or was quickly rectified – after all, Brandon is in the Thetford Forest area, so the locality is largely devoid of (intelligent) life.
By: Flood - 25th November 2003 at 18:34
Kev, pleased to be of service…
Here is the Air Britain web site; the books are cheaper if you are a member (etc!), are jolly useful – and even updated occasionally.
http://www.air-britain.com/
Flood.
By: kev35 - 25th November 2003 at 17:52
Flood.
Thank you. Are these Air Britain books still available, methinks they would come in mighty handy. In the meantime thanks again, I think the aircraft was from the Station Flight. Should we ever meet I owe you a pint or two.
Regards,
kev35
By: Snapper - 25th November 2003 at 17:37
Brandon is out Thetford way. They have a park there where you can go orienteering if you really can’t control yourself. I got lost for a day with a mate when we were 14, and we got more points than anyone else. Therefore we each won a compass.
But that’s by the by.
Brandon is therefore out Moggy’s way. Thetford will have a local newspaper, as well as being covered by the EDP.
By: Flood - 25th November 2003 at 17:21
Ah, what an investment a set of Air Britain RAF Aircraft serial numbers books makes!
L1000-N9999…
L5926 Flew into HT cables near Brandon, Norfolk. DBR 1/8/39.
It is listed as being with 37 Squadron, although the Air Britain Squadrons of the RAF and Commonwealth book doesn’t list Magisters with 37Sqn, just (at this point) Wellington Is flying out of RAF Feltwell.
BUT
The previous users of L5925 are listed as (in order) 1FTS, and… Feltwell – presumably the station flight.
Hope this helps!
Flood.
By: kev35 - 25th November 2003 at 16:29
Hi Guys.
Nice to know Damien doesn’t mind helping out with these questions, after all, his clarification was er…. vital.:)
Chris,
at the moment I’m not even sure that the Magister crashed, it’s all anecdotal at the moment. It’s among a pile of letters I’m reading from former members of the Squadron. Peter Lemon was the pilot of the only surviving crew of the six Wellingtons 37 sent to Wilhelmshaven on the 18th of December, 1939.
Anything at all would be useful.
Regards,
kev35
By: Yak 11 Fan - 25th November 2003 at 13:40
Kev,
At the moment I don’t know anything about this however I will try to find something, do you know whereabouts the Magister crashed?
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November 24, 2003 at 6:40 pm