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Sunday, November 15, 2009

Commemoration of the Kells Avro Anson Crash 1943



Extract from 'Whitehaven News',Thursday, 18 September 2008


Airmen commemorated 65 years after Kells Brows crash

BACKGROUND

During the war RAF Millom was No 2 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, and the doomed plane had been on a routine navigational exercise when it crashed. The men were about eight weeks away from completing their training and going into action.

Tears were shed and times remembered in a moving ceremony to commemorate the lives of five young airmen who died in a wartime plane crash at Kells Brows.

Sixty-five years after the crash, Whitehaven Heritage Action Group has installed a memorial seat in remembrance of the men who in 1943 had been on a training flight from RAF Millom and were returning to base when their Avro Anson R9780 broke up in mid-air.

Time had not dimmed the grief and sense of loss felt by relatives, in particular 89-year-old Mary Greenwood from Yorkshire, the sister of one of those who died, and Sue Hollinshead of Cheshire, the daughter of another.

The two women and their families were joined by around 60 guests at a dedication and unveiling ceremony at the seat, at the top of the Brows, at Monkwray Cottages, near where the plane came down.

Many of those present had first-hand memories of the incident having witnessed the crash as children, getting out of school on the day it happened, Thursday, October 14, 1943.

At the time the town was buzzing with the news but nothing appeared in The Whitehaven News about the accident because of wartime reporting restrictions.

At last week’s poignant ceremony, organised by the Heritage Group, the group’s chairman, Michael Moon, said he hoped the day’s proceedings would “help bring explanation, comfort and closure for those airmen’s families who have carried their grief and heartbreak for so very long”.

Those who died in the accident were:

•Flying Officer Henry Joseph O’Gara, aged 29, of Glasgow,
•Sgt Cyril Johnson, 33, of Cheshire,
•Sgt Thomas Inman, 20, of Yorkshire,
•Sgt Vincent James Dunnigan, 26, of Buffalo, USA and
•Sgt Rene Harold Murphy, 20, of Ontario, Canada.

The seat was unveiled by Mrs Greenwood (sister of Sgt Inman) of Silsden, near Keighley, Yorkshire and Mrs Hollinshead (daughter of Sgt Johnson) of Kelsall, Cheshire, together with Glynn Griffith, curator of RAF Millom Museum.

Mr Griffith who is also Warrant Officer in Charge, No 1264 (Millom) Detached Flight, said more than 3,000 men had lost their lives in air training accidents throughout the UK “killed while preparing to protect us.”

“They are quite often the forgotten number,’’ he said, “But not today... it is a good thing to be holding this memorial after all these years.”

Local war historian Joseph Ritson read out a poem he had composed and dedicated it to the memory of those who had died and also to those who helped keep alive the memory of that sacrifice, especially John Roger Williams (Whitehaven News), Sq Ldr David Moore Crook DFC and Thomas Coyne, a wartime evacuee to Whitehaven:

One Day in October 1943

They came to Millom town in Cumberland,
Five brave airmen who formed a happy band.
Why they came was to oppose Hitler’s might,
Their one aim was to take up the fight.

One bright, fine day in 1943
Their training flight went round the Irish Sea.
Alas, they failed to return safe and sound,
At Whitehaven their plane crashed to the ground.

The children of the town looked up and cried,
Later they learnt five true souls had just died.
‘Wings For Victory’ Day it may have been,
But they would not forget what they had seen.

These heroes gave their all for Victory,
Let us remember those who kept us free.
So, when you kneel down tonight, think and pray,
For our friends who died one October day.

The service of remembrance and dedication was conducted by the Rev Chris Casey of St Andrew’s Church, Mirehouse. Ex-RAF, Mr Casey is chaplain to the Air Training Corps in Cumbria and North Lancashire. He said: “History is to a nation what memory is to a person. What happened in yesteryear affects us all here today.”

In the Act of Remembrance, Sq Ldr Colin Jones of RAF Spadeadam said: “Here on this hillside we stand and remember; we stand to bear witness; we stand to express our thanks. In the presence of God and one another we recall those who died while preparing to defend the life and liberty of the free world.”

The officer, representing his Station Commander, Wing Commander Mike Toft, was not alone in struggling with his emotions as he read out the names of the five who had died. “It is with great humility that I stand here today,” he said.

Also in attendance was a party of Air Training Cadets from No1030 Whitehaven Squadron together with their leader, Fl Lt Stuart Dunnett, deputy leader, Fl Lt Matthew Collintine and Warrant Officer Philip Barnard.

The Mayor of Copeland, Coun Keith Hitchen, said: “They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn” and ATC cadet Peter Schofield replied: “At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.” Cadet James Cox carried the Standard and Shona McLeod and Miranda Watson were also in attendance.

The moving notes of the Last Post, played beautifully by Bugler Laurie Price, sounded out across the valley followed by a minute’s silence and Reveille. There was also a bible reading given by Kells parish priest, the Rev Judy Evans of St Peter’s.

In blessing the seat, the Rev Casey said: “May this memorial enhance the life of all who sit here in freedom and security.”

Those present then retired to Kells Royal British Legion Club where the Ladies Committee had provided excellent refreshments.

Children from two local school’s St Mary’s (who are currently studying World War II) and from Monkwray School, also attended the unveiling.

Thanks were extended to Whitehaven Lions and Joseph Ritson for their donations towards the cost of the seat, and to the Rev Chris Casey, Glynn Griffith of RAF Millom, Copeland Council and Kells Royal British Legion for their help and support with the project.

Their sortie over the Irish Sea that day was almost complete and the crew were returning to base when a catastrophic structural failure of the aircraft caused it to dive and crash, with all five crew dying instantly.

The local community were used to the sound of aircraft flying overhead but at about 4.15pm that day were startled by the sudden sharp rasping noise of over-revved engines. They looked skyward and many eye witnesses saw the aircraft disintegrate and fall apart as it reached the bottom of an uncontrollable shallow dive from about 1,000 ft. Several of those who attended last week’s ceremony recalled, as children, the noise of the plane and seeing it crash onto The Brows.

The main body of the fuselage with shattered wings and tail showered wreckage down onto the slopes of the Brows, below Arrowthwaite, some landing just above the pedestrian pathway. Higher up the hill, the plane’s two engines fell like bombs and embedded themselves in the ground near the retired Miners cottages. Lighter parts of the craft, including the fabric torn into hundreds of pieces, was carried away by the wind, some debris landing over Bransty.

The bodies of the crew were found near to the wreckage, covered by their unused or partially opened parachutes. They were taken to Whitehaven mortuary and later by ambulance to RAF Millom.

Recovered from the wreckage was an undamaged compass, still in its box, which is still kept at RAF Millom Museum.

Wartime demands meant training was often undertaken in aircraft that were “war-weary” and so it seems the Avro that crashed suffered a serious defect in the wing span and once it had cracked the pilot lost effective control and it began to disintegrate in mid-air. Parachutes had flared but there was insufficient height to enable the men to get out of the aircraft.

Following the Whitehaven crash all Avro Ansons in use were subsequently checked out and several were found to have cracks.

The plane wreck was guarded by the 4th Battalion C Company Cheshire Regiment who had been staying in Whitehaven on leave after serving in the Orkneys before moving to the south of England. They were billeted in the TA centre.

Coincidentally in town that day and an eyewitness to the event was Battle of Britain pilot Flight Lieut David Moore Crook, who at the time was an instructor at Carlisle airfield.

Crook, DFC, was in Whitehaven to present the town with a Wings for Victory commemorative plaque for having raised £202,000 to buy a bomber aircraft. The ceremony was held in the Empress Ballroom and thereafter he was accompanied by managing editor of the Whitehaven News, John Roger Williams, to another part of town for tea.

On hearing the noise of the breaking up Anson, Fl Lieut Crook went immediately to the scene of the accident and was shocked and upset by what he saw, saying sadly: “What a futile way to die.” Just over a year later he himself was to die when his Spitfire went down in the sea off Aberdeen.

THE FAMILIES

THE families of two of the dead airmen were full of gratitude for the warmth of the welcome they had received in Whitehaven and were moved by the service and the dedication of the memorial.

Mary Greenwood had not been back to West Cumbria since her brother Tommy’s death, 65 years ago. She is the last survivor of five siblings.

She said: “I was at work when a neighbour brought news of Tommy. We were, and still are, a very close family and my parents and everyone were devastated.

“My youngest brother, Maurice, who was only 16 and myself, I was 23, came up to Millom on the train right afterwards. My parents were too upset to travel.
“I remember on the airbase them taking us into a room and there on a shelf were the five coffins, draped in Union Jacks. It was very moving. Then we came to see where the crash had happened. I haven’t been back here since, but Tommy is buried at Silsden, near to where I live.”

Mrs Greenwood was accompanied by her daughter Carole Bramley (née Greenwood), Carole’s husband Richard Bramley, Susan Webb, a niece of Sgt Inman and Susan’s daughter, Laura Webb and also Philip Smith, great nephew, all from Silsden near Keighley.

The family of Sgt Johnson included a grandson, Matthew Johnson, 28, from New Zealand. Sgt Johnson’s daughter, Sue Hollinshead was only a girl aged just seven when her father was killed – her brother Keith was as yet unborn. Matthew, who is working in London, is the son of that brother, Dr Keith Johnson who lives in New Zealand.

Matthew had never known his grandfather Cyril Johnson (known as Jay) and learned of Grandad’s wartime exploits from his own father, Keith. Being in Whitehaven for the commemorative event and to see the place where Jay had died had made his family history very real. Also in Mrs Hollinshead’s party from Cheshire, were her husband John, and her cousin Chris Clarke and his wife Ann.

A MEMORIAL AT LAST

•1943: a non-denominational service at the YMCA pays tribute to the airmen who died
•1993: Whitehaven Air Cadets leader writes to the Mayor of Copeland seeking permission, in principle, to erect a memorial near the scene of the incident. An article about the crash in The Whitehaven News marks the 50th anniversary
•1994: Unsuccessful efforts made to trace relatives of Sgt Dunnigan of Buffalo, a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
•2005: Joseph Ritson of Whitehaven, recounts the air-crash story on the BBC online archive The People’s War
•2007: A civic reception by Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council hosted by Copeland Mayor Willis Metherell, for Susan Hollinshead, daughter of Sgt Johnson. Chairman of CCC, Alan Caine says Sgt Johnson will be made an honorary Cumbrian and the two councils will explore ways in which to create a permanent memorial.
•May, 2008: After discussion with local historian Joseph Ritson, Whitehaven Heritage Action Group decide to action a new project to create a memorial to those who had died, with autumn as a target date.
•10 September, 2008: 65 years after the fatal crash, a memorial seat with engraved plaque listing the names of the five airmen, is unveiled and dedicated, near to the crash site at Kells Brows, before relatives and invited guests.
•2008 marks the 90th anniversary of the RAF
•15 September is Battle of Britain Day
Account of crash taken from the Gilbert Rothery Archive held at RAF Millom Aviation and Military History Museum.

First published at 16:03, Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Published by http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk

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