From Chorleys Bomber Command losses vol8

They were flying in Wellington Ic P9299 on a cross country exercise, when flying below hilltops and in rough weather, the pilot Sgt Keda was confronted by rising ground and unable to avoid it, the aircraft crashed on Bryn Uchat nr Llanymawddy on the River Dovey. All 6 aboard were killed and were buried at East Wretham

Hi Gerry,

The crash site was initially excavated by EOD, and once declared safe to do so, afterwards was was completed by the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum. Together about 4 tons of wreckage was recovered by both parties. Bomb fins and incendiaries suggest that it was on the outward bound leg – or returning early.Llarge items such as main wheel tyre and u/c legs through to smaller delicate items like a silk glove came to light. A full account can be found in the November 1985 ‘Flypast’ If you PM me I can put you in touch with the author.

Apologies for the quality of the photos,

Jeff

We had a weekend digging on one of the dump areas at Coltishall some 20 years ago. Whilst following up a local crash we were told by the owner of the field where this dump was of ‘crated Merlins’ being buried.

Although we took this with a huge pinch of salt we put a machine in for the hell of it. The field had that year been cultivated for the first time since the war, and remains of where a Mosquito(s?) had been burnt was still visible with chunks of charred and partially burnt wood, loads of brass wood screws and small metal fittings laying on the surface (The larger remains had presumably been pushed into the pit).

Other than a few more larger pieces of Mosquito wood, the only other aircraft part we found were some odd Merlin exhaust stacks. We did find a couple of bomb fin crates, but the vast majority was general camp rubbish – burnt as well. In one place there was what appeared to be a complete small brick built hut bulldozed in.

This was pre Forster magnetometer days, but we did get readings with our Fisher detector over a wide area.

Jeff

Hi Nick,

Losses of the US 8th & 9thAir Forces Vol 2, gives the crew as:

2Lt Delbert G Harris jr
Lt MacDonald

1Lt Laurence E Tracy (killed)
S/Sgt Thomas Kristin (killed)
T/Sgt LB Woodall (killed)
Mr William H Killough (killed)

All originally buried at Brookwood, Mr Killough now interred at Madingley, the other returned to the US

Jeff

Found it !!

Look what I found washed up in the garden this afternoon……….

Lancaster wing tip

For some years we knew of a Lancaster wing tip in a garden at Hollesley in Suffolk, but the owner wasn’t keen to part with it. As boys he and his brother had dragged it home from the crash, a few yards a day over the course of a school holiday. Ever since it had stood in the garden as a rather large ornament. However just before he moved house we got a call to come and get it if we were still interested.

It has a few pock marks from air rifle fire but didn’t suffer too greatly otherwise.

It’s from ND453 of 635 Sqn, crash landed on 6th October 1944 near Bussocks House, Hollesley.

Jeff