Plane crash in Gold Street ,Northampton,14th / 15th July 1941

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by CL1, Dec 12, 2009.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Last edited: Feb 27, 2021
  2. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    The second occurrence was a British plane that came down in Gold Street. My grandmother did not see it come down, but she heard about it and went to look. The plane, she said, was damaged but still recognisable as a plane, and they were about to take it away. Its wing tips had scored a mark down the buildings on both sides of the street. It was a miracle, she said, that it had missed All Saints’ Church.

    From: BBC - WW2 People's War - A bomb and a plane crash in Northampton

    You may be able to get information from here:

    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Mil_Air_C_Sites.pdf

    Regards
    Tom
     
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Tom
    many thanks
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Do you have a date?

    I can look it up in ATB's-The Blitz but 3 vols. would take forever without a date :)

    Andy
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    hello Andy

    Cant find the date and not much info at all

    Apparently it came down right in the middle of the street

    "Gold Street, along the length of which an RAF plane crash-landed during WW2.)"



    many thanks
    Clive
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Any idea of a between date Clive?
     
  7. CTNana

    CTNana Member

    CL1 likes this.
  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    CTNana

    thank you
    Quote
    "I remember when the bomber crashed in Northampton town centre. I was at home, it was about 5.00am when we heard the drone of a plane, we could tell that it was in trouble, it seemed as though he was looking for somewhere to land. The pilot bailed out and he landed on the Kingsthorpe Recreation ground, unfortunately the parachute failed to open and he was killed. The plane crashed in Gold Street, opposite the Grand Hotel. I remember getting the first bus of the day at St James Depot to go to work, it could not go up Gold Street because it was blocked off due to the crashed plane, and it had to go up Horse Market instead."

    found some photos(could be linked to a bomb but same street)
    Northampton Library suggested it was a Stirling
    will do more digging thanks to all



    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    CTNana,

    Very well found.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  10. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    So, thanks to the date and location, it was a Stirling:
    Stirling N6033 7 Squadron MG-?
    Operation Hannover
    14th / 15th July 1941
    N6033 was one of two 7 Sqdn Stirlings lost on this operation. See: N6022. Airborne 2300 14 Jul 41 from Oakington. Damaged by flak and on return to base the Stirling ran out of fuel. Abandoned and crashed 0415 into Gold St, Northampton. Tragically F/S Madgwick slipped out of his parachute harness and fell to his death. Later, RAF Oakington received a telephone call from the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire registering his great displeasure about the crash in his County. He is reputedly to have remarked ""I can't be having this!"".
    F/S B.K. Madgwick KIA
    Sgt C.H.Tourville
    Sgt W.H.Robinson
    Sgt M.Roach RCAF
    Sgt A.Chambers
    Sgt J.M.Donlan
    Sgt H.Macrae
     
    CL1 likes this.
  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Kevin

    thank you so much for your time and trouble it is greatly appreciated.

    regards
    Clive
     
  12. CTNana

    CTNana Member

    CTNana,

    Very well found.

    Regards
    Tom

    Sadly I can't take the credit. I live in a small village outside Northampton and knew that someone on our village website would know.

    Strange coincidence, my Mum who was pregnant was evacuated from London to not far from here, and that was the day that she gave birth to my older brother.
     
  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    CT

    well done anyway
     
  14. eringe

    eringe Junior Member

    On 15th July 1941 at approx 05.10 hrs a Stirling bomber crashed in to the centre of Northampton town after its engines stopped. All ejected from the aircraft before the crash but unfortunately the pilot's chute did not open and he lost his life.
    Does anyone know which squadron and base it belonged to and from which raid was it returning? It did have delayed action bombs on board but they did not detonate in the crash.
     
  15. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

  16. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    :poppy:
    14-15th July 1941
    Stirling I
    N6033
    NG-
    Op: Hanover
    7sq

    Crew:

    F/S B K Madgwick (Killed)
    Sgt C H Tourville
    Sgt W H Robinson
    Sgt M Roach
    Sgt A Chambers
    Sgt J M Donlan
    Sgt H Macrae

    T/o 2300 Oakington. Damaged by flak and on return to base ran out of petrol. Abandoned by the crew and crashed 0415 into Gold Street, Northampton.

    Tragically, F/S Madgwick slipped out of his parachute and fell to his death. Later, Oakington received a telephone call from the Chief Constable of Northampton shire registering a protest about the crash in his county. He is reputedly to have remarked " I can't have this".

    (From W R Chorley, BCL of the second world war Vol 1941 page 91.)

    In Memory of
    Sergeant Pilot
    Bernard Keith Madgwick
    741793, 7 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
    who died on 15 July 1941
    No NOK Listed
    Remembered with Honour
    Langleybury (St. Paul) Churchyard

    Langleybury (St Paul) Churchyard.jpg

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  17. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  18. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    The Stirling, did you say?

    stirling-1.jpg
     
  19. eringe

    eringe Junior Member

    Hi,

    I am most grateful for your help and info. I personally watched the plane come down but did not see the crew chutes come down as my view to the north was blocked. The time of 04.15 would be GMT as at that time we had BST so was 05.15(actually 05.11hrs) DBST came in later in the war.
    The Chief Constables remarks were most inappropriate as the crew and RAF had the populations utmost support.
     
  20. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    From my photo collection


    MADGWICK, BERNARD KEITH

    Rank:
    Sergeant
    Trade:
    Pilot
    Service No:
    741793
    Date of Death:
    15/07/1941
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    7 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference
    West of Tower.
    Cemetery
    LANGLEYBURY (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Feb 27, 2021

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