Hi,
I thought this might be of interest….
Today (Saturday 30th October 2010) seventy years to the day a memorial was unveiled by the Wings Museum in memory of P.O. Kenneth Wilson Worsdell – Aged 20 from Bracknell & Sgt. Eric Cecil Gardiner – Aged 27 from Ponefract both these young men lost their lives on what is officially known as the last day of the Battle of Britain.
On the night of 30th October 1940, Beaufighter 1F R2065 took off from RAF Redhill on a routine patrol. On the return flight and whilst attempting to locate RAF Redhill the Beaufighter hit beech trees and exploded on impact at Balcombe Place.
The museum located the crash site in 2009 and after applying for a MOD license a dig was carried out at the site where some interesting relics were recovered for display in the museum. Most of the wreckage was burnt out on the surface and removed by an RAF recovery team. The museum has since been tracing relatives of the crew and were fortunate to locate 2 cousins of Sgt. Gardiner. Regrettably no relatives of P.O. Worsdell were traced but it is hoped that they may be traced in the future.
Exactly 70 years to the day several family members of Sgt. Gardiner attended the memorial dedication organised by the museum. The memorial stone was blessed and dedicated by a local vicar and several prayers were read out at the crash site. It stopped raining for the memorial service then promptly started again – perhaps the vicar had a word!!
I will be putting some more information including photos on the museum website for those that would like to know more.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd November 2010 at 12:48
Here are some pics….
Also more info on museum website.
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st October 2010 at 13:10
Redhillwings
I will try to visit you sometime but finding the opportunity is always the problem these days.
I will also try to re-establish contact with the Worsdell family, although I suspect his brother may well have passed away as I was in touch with him at least twenty years ago and he was pretty elderly then.
I think I probably have Police reports etc relating to the incident.
By: roadracer - 30th October 2010 at 22:30
Damned good work by all involved !
And well done to Gerry and Andy for the family details .
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2010 at 20:05
Hi Andy and Gerry, Thanks for that, have sent PM’s to you both. I didn’t really expect that this post would leed to all this info and I am quite exicited! 😀 – Andy Perhaps we can arrange a visit to the memorial and crash site for the family of P.O. Wordell sometime soon.
By: gedburke3 - 30th October 2010 at 19:28
Hi Andy,
Thanks for posting that.
What a cracking picture of Ken Worsdell.
Gerry
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2010 at 18:50
Here is some of the material.
I have much more.
You only had to ask!
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2010 at 18:40
I have some material relating to Plt Off Worsdell and was in contact with his family (a brother) many years ago. He gave me some personal effects belonging to his brother and I still have them. I also have a photo of the Beaufighter they were lost in.
I will try to scan and post later.
A pity I didn’t know before today as I think some family are probably still around.
By: justplanecrazy - 30th October 2010 at 17:38
Well done for not letting these guys go unremembered. I recently finished a 219 Sqd Blenheim (FK-M) as part of my BoB them for this year.
Lest we forget
Nick
By: gedburke3 - 30th October 2010 at 17:31
Hi Redhillwings,
Congratulations on your endeavours.
I was very close friends with Bugs Keatings. He flew many times with Ken Worsdell during the Battle of Britain and spoke very highly of him. I took Bugs to visit Kens grave in 2005 for the 65th anniversary.
Somewhere I have a copy of a combat report from August 1940 relating to a sortie that Bugs flew with Ken Worsdell.
I also recall him talking of ‘Lofty Gardiner’, It seems that Bugs and Lofty were also great friends on the squadron.
I do have several 219 Squadron photographs showing both Ken Worsdell and Lofty Gardiner which I would be happy to let you have copies of. (Though I suspect that you may already have these).
Congratulations once again, I must visit next year as I see I have already missed the opportunity this year.
Gerry
By: Moggy C - 30th October 2010 at 16:13
Interesting, and I have spared them a thought today.
Moggy
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October 30, 2010 at 3:08 pm