This article from my local paper records a training accident which I have never heard of and appears in no local history books. Are there any sites where I could check if this incident actually happened as described. WWII garden plane crash and a loved cat
Story looks like it is from July 2015 dates below for Whit Sunday Whit Sunday 1/6/41 Whit Sunday 24/5/42 Details below from from Bomber Command Losses by Chorley Vol 7 other forum members could possibly assist with further info from other volumes of Chorley with the dates above Whit Sunday 24/5/42 training flight 13 OTU Blenheim R3599 CD Typer survived W.DHeap died KJ.Allwood died crashed Green farm near Trowbridge Have a look through CWGC to see casualties on the day regards Clive
Clive thank you for the information. I will investigate further but if anyone else has any thing to comment I would be interested. Not sure 100% if this is the crash but will check where Green Farm is.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Kenneth J Allwood [Possibly J = James] Death Age: 27 Birth Date: abt 1915 Registration Date: Jun 1942 Registration district: Trowbridge Inferred County: Wiltshire Volume: 5a Page: 196 UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current Name: Kenneth James Allwood Birth Date: 1915 Birth Place: Aston, Metropolitan Borough of Birmingham, West Midlands, England Death Date: 24 May 1942 Death Place: Trowbridge, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England Cemetery: Melksham Church Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Melksham, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England Has Bio?: N https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160848082 TD
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Wilbert D Heap Death Age: 26 Birth Date: abt 1916 Registration Date: Jun 1942 Registration district: Trowbridge Inferred County: Wiltshire Volume: 5a Page: 196 UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current Name: Sgt Wilbert Dudley Heap Death Date: 24 May 1942 Cemetery: Twickenham Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Whitton, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London, England Has Bio?: Y https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/154453208 1939 England and Wales Register Name: Wilbert D Heap Gender: Male Marital status: Single Birth Date: 11 Feb 1916 Residence Year: 1939 Address: 78 Residence Place: Twickenham, Middlesex, England Occupation: Correspondence Clerk ?? Schedule Number: 173 Sub Schedule Number: 3 Enumeration District: BUCP Registration district: 128/2 Inferred Father: Albert W Heap Inferred Mother: Louisa E Heap TD
I would agree that this is almost certainly the accident, there is a Green Lane Farm situated approximately 3/4 of a mile from the crash site mentioned in the article.
For what little it's worth, I can't seem to find any UK "Typer" although there are a few in US. Tried TyLer but no CD in CWGC, nor Pyper, so may have been too badly inkured to resume flying - unless someone knows better? HEAP, WILBERT DUDLEY Sergeant (Observer). Service Number 1283560. Died 24/05/1942. Aged 26 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (13 OTU - thanks) Son of Albert William and Louisa Elizabeth Heap. of Twickenham. Buried at TWICKENHAM CEMETERY Plot J. Row J. Grave 19. ALLWOOD, KENNETH JAMES. Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner). Service Number 1325072. Died 24/05/1942. Aged 27 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (13 OTU) Son of Arthur and Alice Louise Allwood, of Erdington, Birmingham. Buried at MELKSHAM CHURCH CEMETERY S.W. part. If it adds anything, the two deaths were reported in Flight OCTOBER 8TH, 1942 KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.— Sgt, K. J. Allwood; Sgt, W.D. Heap; and just in case one of these may have been misread as Typer... Sgt C. Tilley; Fit. Sgl. C. D. A. Whitehead; and these are those reported in that issue as WOUNDED OR INJURED ON ACTIVE SERVICE — Sgt. G. Coupland; Sgt. E. Hinchliffe; Sgt. R. E. Knights; L.A/C. L. L. Morgan. DIED OF WOUNDS OR INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE—L A, C. .1. Bullock; A/C.l .1. S. Clarke; A/C.l N. Debono; L.A/C. F. C. James; L.A/C. T. W. Miildlemass; Sgt. J. L. Powell. so not much to help....
1939 England and Wales Register Name: John T Typer Gender: Male Marital status: Married Birth Date: 29 May 1885 Residence Year: 1939 Address: 323 Residence Place: Manchester, Lancashire, England Occupation: Stonemason Heavy Worker Schedule Number: 169 Sub Schedule Number: 1 Enumeration District: NJHT Registration district: 464-2 Inferred Spouse: Clara Typer Inferred Children: Mabel Typer Richard Typer Household Members: Name John T Typer Clara Typer Mabel Typer Richard Typer He could be from any of the Commonwealth countries TD
Sgt C D Typer 1331900 tried to climb through bad weather, entered spin, "lost head" instructed crew to bale out, left aircraft through upper escape hatch without waiting to see other crew safely out. Summary of evidence. Charge later dropped as it was not clear that Typer had been given proper instruction by Instructors. Ross