Can anyone shed anymore light on a Halifax crash in Hanbury, Worcestershire?
 

I have very sparse details but as this location is less than a mile away from where I live I wonder if anyone else has details of where the crash occurred and what was given as the reason?

These are all the details I have I am afraid:

Aircraft: Halifax LW 395

Squadron: 425 Squadron

Crashed: 11th February 1944

Location: Hanbury

Any help greatly appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read this, cheers, MP

Re: Can anyone shed anymore light on a Halifax crash in Hanbury, Worcestershire?
 

According to my notes, the aircraft was on a training flight. All on board were killed, including an Army Signalman (J.L. Dubroy), brother to the aircraft's radio operator Sgt. W.E. Dubroy.

Re: Can anyone shed anymore light on a Halifax crash in Hanbury, Worcestershire?
 

On this link
http://www.wychavon.gov.uk/cms/pdf/C...%20booklet.pdf
it says that the Halifax suffered an engine failure, pilot lost control and the aircraft broke up on pulling out of the dive.

According to Chorley (Bomber Command Losses 1944) it crashed at Carters Hill, Hanbury. Port outer engine.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Can anyone shed anymore light on a Halifax crash in Hanbury, Worcestershire?
 

Thank you both for your very informative replies.

Regarding the attached .pdf, do you know who the original was created by? I'm only asking as it would be really useful to get a copy of the original image showing the crew?

Thanks again, that's excellent help as always.

Cheers, MP

Re: Can anyone shed anymore light on a Halifax crash in Hanbury, Worcestershire?
 

Well, I thought I'd add some more details to this as everyone was really helpful previously.

I sent a letter to the local newspaper asking if anyone knew of the crash location (exact point of impact) or if anyone had seen the incident.

Yesterday I received a message from the daughter of a woman who witnessed the whole event.

The mother (who was 21 at the time) was walking to a local dance when she became aware of the bomber falling from the sky, she said, with flames coming from it.

I am going to meet up with her in the next-week and hope to find out more about the incident she witnessed and see if she can shed any more light on the subject.

Just on a secondary note, was it common for local papers to photograph crash incidents and report them during wartime, or would this have been seen as lowering morale by the MOD? I know that there is an image of a Luftwaffe Bomber that crashed locally too, but obviously that would have been boosting for the populace?

My next port of call is to see if the local paper (even on micro film) has images of it, but if not, was it common practice by the RAF/MOD to photograph wreck sites and keep them for reference? If so, then where would be the next place to contact?

I'll keep you informed as I wonder whether it may be worth seeing if any of the Canadian's who were on-board, may have relatives who would be interested in this?

Cheers, MP