Tracing a Liberator crash site in Norwich

Great work you are doing Nick, and very much enjoyed your pictures on flickr. Just been having a hunt on google earth and the crash site is easily recognisable (if you toggle between street view and plan).
Rather poignantly, the trampoline may well mark the spot.

S/Sgt Henry Clayborn Letter: In his search for more complete information on the death of his brother John (navigator), S/Sgt Henry F. Clayborn, U.S Army, on duty in France, obtained leave in March 1945 and made his way to Horsham St. Faith. He received a very warm welcome from the entire 753rd Squadron, especially the two remaining members of his brother’s crew, 2Lt Blanshan and Sgt Lawson. The following is an excerpt from a letter that he wrote to his sister-in-law, John’s widow Cleone:

“After I arrived in England and got myself set up for my stay I located Johnny’s group through the necessary channels and entrained for the closest city to his base. On the last leg of my journey I was fortunate enough to be traveling with one of the enlisted men from his squadron who took me directly to the squadron’s commanding officer. I don’t think that I have ever been treated better in any military installation than I was at the 753rd squadron. There was nothing that they didn’t offer to do for me and any request I made, no matter how tiny, was immediately granted….

“When I finally located the co-pilot, I was treated as if I were his own brother who had come to visit him. You see, the job of writing you the information I’m about to give was going to have to be done by him and I’m sure you realize how hard it would have been to write…. When Blansh heard that I was in the squadron orderly room he rushed up and insisted that I come with him to the combat officer’s quarters and stay with him. The pilot who was his room mate insisted that I use his bed and moved to a vacant one, in spite of any protests I could make. As it was close to supper time we decided to wait until after supper for our talk, at which time Lawson wound get over to Blansh’s room. It’s an army custom to use nicknames for your friends and if I tell you the nicknames of Lawson (Foggy) and Blanshan (Blansh) I can make it a little easier for myself. If Foggy and Blansh are any samples of the crew as a whole it really was a swell crew. From what I learned about each member in particular I would have been proud to have been one of them.

“As we did that night I am going to start my account of the flight itself. It was their “air medal” flight. When a crew completes its sixth mission over enemy territory it receives the air medal and this was the sixth mission. Foggy was the one from whom I got the story of the flight as he alone knew best everything that had happened. Until they were nearing the target everything went along as per routine. Then a flak burst damaged the number one engine on the left hand side seriously so that it was necessary to feather it. In addition the number two engine on that side started to smoke. Diehl was able to keep it going, however, and they were able to resume their position and make their bomb run. After they had unloaded their bombs, of course, they were unable to keep up with their regular formation and were forced to fall back. Eight fighter planes remained with them to provide protection from enemy fighters. The distance to England or Belgium at that time was equal and Diehl took an interphone vote among the crew members as to which spot they would head.

“Unanimously they voted to head for England. As they were now flying alone, as far as the bomber formation was concerned, the task of getting them there as fast as possible rested directly on Johnny. He was completely equal to the task. He gave them immediately an ETA (estimated time of arrival) of 3:28 PM at the Coast of England, and exactly at 3:28 they crossed the coast. His job had been done perfectly. Now everyone was relieved because the hardest part had been accomplished. They called the tower for priority landing and were granted the priority and completed the greater part of the circle on the field that is necessary for landing. As they were making the final turn it was necessary to bank into the left side (where the number one engine was feathered) and at the moment they were making the turn the number two engine cut out, leaving the left side completely dead. The force of the two right engines, of course, pushed the plane right over on its back and they crashed into a square of houses bordering the airport. Somehow, in that split second before the crash Diehl must have switched off the engines because there was no fire, although there was a lot of gas in all the tanks. Everyone in the plane was killed except Foggy and an extra gunner who had gone along.

“My greatest fear all along had been that Johnny’s death might have been painful or that perhaps his body had not been recovered. I know now that he died painlessly and that there was not a chance of his body not having been recovered. The reason I know is because Foggy came out of the plane alive and he had moved up near Johnny’s position just before the crash. It happened so fast that none of them except perhaps Diehl could have known what was happening. Foggy said that the only sensation that he could remember was a slight breathlessness like when an elevator goes down and then nothing. Earlier, the other gunner had told me the same thing

From http://www.458bg.com/crewdiehl.htm

Moggy

Lassie come home

Hi,

14 Spynke Road.

Seven crew members and two children playing in the garden were killed.

Rather good display about this and other accidents/incidents at the City of Norwich Aviation Museum.

Thanks both, I was wondering if this might be the Boundary Road/ Rye Avenue crash, it appears it probably is then, i think I’ve just found the correct building alignment, which places it behind a row on Rye Avenue, excellent, just got to persuade someone to let me have access to the site somehow.

cheers chaps.

Nick,
Have you tried the Norwich/Norfolk town/county archivist? They should have an entry in their Sites & Monuments Record (SMR). That is – of course – like so many Local Authority Archaeological departments they consider archaeology in UK ceased with the departure of the Romans. The rest is history!! OK, I exagerrate, but you might be lucky and find a local authority archaelogist who thinks/acts after the Departure Of The Eagles. They are rare – but if you find one they are very good, and will help you.
Resmoroh

It crashed at the Boundry – there’s a plaque on the Ring Road according to Martin Bowman – there’s a pic of the crash site in his Fields of Little America which I produced a few years back!