RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

Hello,
As a boy I used to live in Brantham, Essex, England. There is a crash site of an RAF bomber very close at a place called Cattawade. I used to visit it with friends and find .303 bullet and cartridges and other bits and pieces.

Local legend had it that a bomber was returning from a sortie and crashed. It was also said that a member of the crew bailed out at a low altitude and was found dead on a nearby bridge. Maybe this is a long shot but does anyone know where I could find information on this aircraft. I have been seraching for a little while now and would be grateful for any leads.
Regards,
Andy

Re: RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

Stirling R9241 of No 218 Squadron crashed near Cattawade around 7 p.m. on 24 October 1942 while en route for a mission to Milan, Italy.
Had taken off from Downham Market, Norfolk, when after about 35 mins.
a fire broke out in an engine, which rapidly spread.

Killed were F/Sgt F. Higgott (RNZAF), P/O R. Thompson, Sgt B Grieve, Sgt A Mahoney, Sgt N Simms, Sgt L. Nockells and Sgt W Ferris.
Sgt Hinshelwood knew to bail out and was injured.

Best regards,

Leendert
Brugge/Belgium

Re: RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

Leederet,
Thanks for this information. This has been a mystery since I was a boy and you have now solved it!
thanks again,
Regards,
Andy

Re: RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

hi andy,
thanks for ur reply .
when i sent my message i forgot to ask you where the crash site was but since then i have spoken to a mate of mine , pete lamb, who told me it was near the new road bridge somewhere close to that little farm house set back from the road a bit,is this right?
he also claims he has the steel armour plate from behind the pilots seat from that site,be interesting to see that, i'll let you know.
by the way,i remember the'old' bridge as the new bridge and the new bridge is actually the third one in my lifetime, ok no old man jokes.
if you want to go further with this we might be able to fix up a meeting with pete and visit the sight,he is quite enthusiastic about ww2 aircraft.
all the best tom gregory. ps i'm in colchester.

Re: RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

Hi

I too used to live in Brantham and still have several sackfuls of wreckage from this Stirling which I collected as a kid in the 70's.

My Gran witnessed the crash from what used to be the Bucks. The aircraft broke up in mid air and a large piece fell behind the Crown pub. The crew were recovered from the wreck and laid out alongside the A137 apparently. The only survivor baled out very low and was injured when he landed on the bridge near Bridge Garage.

For many years one of the main wheels was visible in the river but vanished when the 'new' bridge was put in.

The site itself is now underwater as the RSPB have purchased the marshes as a nature reserve and partially flooded them.

At least two of the crew are buried in Ipswich Old Cemetery.

Hope this is of interest.

Re: RAF bomber crash Cattawade/Brantham, Essex.
 

hi everyone,
thanks to ashley i now know where the crash site was, just about on my doorstep as a kid in the fifties and i could'nt find it, i was only 6.
further, the airgunner flt. sgt. hinshelwood the only survivor,was killed a year later and is buried in dantumadeel cemetry.
best tom gregory .