mysterious kent crash

[biddendenlocal]

Does anyone know of a combat crash of a Spitfire or Hurricane that crashed 1800yds north of Biddenden very close to the Smarden Rd about 200 yds from the Headcorn Turn. Locals put the date as 1940 but it could be 1941.Time would have been afternoon. Plane went sraight down from say 5000ft into the ground.No parashute was seen,and locals tell of local police collecting pieces of pilot. Memories say 603 squadron Hornchurch.I am told that there is nothing at the site commemorating the incident,and as we dont know the date,its very hard to solve the mystery.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello,
IF you could at least give us a month, that would be a start! There are hundreds of crashs from OTU, PRU and Fighter Command Units...without more DATA, it will be certainly impossible to help you, because German combat claims were also not as precise as we would like ( they did not mentioned 1,800 yards from Biddenden, etc...They only put the hour of the combat, the height and general area: 15km East of such place, etc...).
Ask the old people of your area, search old articles ( newspapers ), check the local Police, ask the closest RAF unit - you certainly will have more data available.
Hope I helped to open your field of researches...It is not so easy to find out who claimed who...
Sincere and friendly yours
Adriano
PS: I am sure that IF you put a more precise date or information, a dozen of people from this Forum will help you as you want they do. I guarantee you my friend!

[biddendenlocal]

Hello,
The only detail I have is that the crash possition is Lat.51.74 Long 0.39.2. This I obtained from Google Earth image. Nothing has changed in the 67 years since I visited the site,a few days after the crash,as a 10yo ,evacue .Still the same open field,very close to the road.
I live in Australia,but in my quest for answers I contacted Biddenden,and now correspond with the boy in whose family I lived with in 1940/41 .He,s 78 and remembers the crash,his Brother-in-law remembers the crash,but so far,we cannot put a date to it.
My memory says it happened before 23rd August 1940.This is because Kent History Centre say school holidays began that day,and I think that it happened on a school day after school,at about 4.30 in the afternoon.At the time I was billited South of the village.
The sky was clear,and there did,nt seem to be much air activity.My attention was drawn skywards,by the sound of one short burst of machine gun fire.High in the sky were two dots,...one of the dots became what I have always believed to be a Spitfire. It never deviated,and crashed at high speed . I never saw a parashute.I was 1800yds away in Biddenden Village.
On visiting the site,after it was cleared of debris,it was said that very little remained of the pilot,and I doubt if they dug anymore of the plane at the time,for the engine would have been a long way down.
My contact in Biddenden is related to the person who was the local policeman in 1940,and he told them that he recovered human remains from air crashes,and took them home for safe keeping,until collected by the authorities. My contact believes he was refering to this particular crash,but there were other crashes near Biddenden,although none of the crashes I have seen reported say the pilot died in the planecrash.
The only other clue,suggested by a Biddenden resident,was that he thought it was a plane from Hornchurch,with a pilot Mac?sombody!
Nobody can help without a date!!! I did,nt keep a diary in 1940/41

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Could you send me your e-mail? I had some files that could be of interest for you..( Spitfires losses, Luftwaffe claims for that period )
Sincerely yours
Adriano ( baumgartner_asv@yahoo.com.br )
Brazil

[Alex Smart]

hi,

The one that sprung to mind was a thread on this website some time ago .
Pluckley, or near there.
I remember because of the Tea.
This thread must still be available on the site somewhere.
May be the same one that you are searching.

Alex

[biddendenlocal]

Alex,
My crash is 1 mile from Biddenden.I believe Puckley is at least 5 mile on. I cannot find the thread referring to Puckley,do we know the date ?
Alf

[Alex Smart]

Hi,

If I am right it was for a Spitfire piloted by F/O Oswald St.John Pigg. From 72 Sqdn came down in P9458 on the 1st September following combat with a Bf109 his a/c crashed and burned out at Elvey Farm, Pluckley, time given as at 11.15.
He is at rest in St.Oswald's Buriel Ground Durham.

Others around the time you mention are-
8th August 40
P/O. P.F. Kennard-Davis s/d by Bf109 crashed west Langdon at 12.05 burnt out but pilot died later on the 10th.
16th August 40
P/O N.G. Bowen in Spitfire N3095 S/D by Bf109 at Adisham.
26th August 40 Sgt. M. Ridley in R6701 S/d by Bf109 at 12.15 crashed Adisham.
30th August 40 Sgt. J.I.Johnson in R6628 S/d by Bf109 at 18.05 crashed at Bishopsbourne.
There were other crashes but these are the Spitfires that come to hand .

There was a 603 Sqn loss that was P/O. Donald Kennedy MacDonald, who failed to return from a combat with Bf109's over Dover on the 28th August 40 in Spitfire L1046. Time given as 16.45.
He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial .
This from "Men of the Battle of Britain" So could it have been him ?

603 lost three that afternoon, F/Lt. Cunningham in R6751 a/c "U" at 16.45, killed . P/O. Ritchie was wounded in R6989 a/c "X" a/c repaired.and P/O Benson in N3105 a/c"P" s/d over Tenterden at 1630, killed.

All for now
Alex

Ref FCL vol 1 and Men of BoB.

[Brian Bines]

A possibility but during school hols. on 5th. Sept a Spitfire crashed at Buckmans Green Farm Smarden at 0950 hrs. 'Battle of Britain Then and Now' believes this to be X4261 of 603 Sqd. F/L F.W. Rushmer missing. Although it does not meet your memories it might be worth considering,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Alex Smart]

Hello Brian,

Thank you for the update of Rushmer.

Yes, from "The Men of the BoB" page 440
There is a picture of him.

It is a well searched site it seems.
From the book-
His Spitfire X4261 could be that which crashed at Buckmans Green Farm, Smarden. The pilot from this a/c was buried as "Unknown" in All Saints churchyard, Staplehurst on 11th September. An investigation of the crash site in 1970 failed to establish the pilots identity. Rushmer was reported "Missing" and his name is on the Runnymede Memorial Pannel 4.
However a campaigne to prove that it was him began in 1989 and his three surviving sisters were traced by Andy Saunders. Positive identification of Rushmer was established by a pocketwatch found at the site in 1970, this being recognised by the dead airmans sisters. In May 1989 a named headstone replaced the original and a service od dedication was held in September.

Alex

[biddendenlocal]

Hi All,
The best response I,ve had from any group of enthusiasts!! The problem still remains.My crash site is exact.It is close to the road,on the road that goes from the Headcorn Rd [A274]to Stanten.Its called the Smarden Rd.,,The site is 390yds from the Headcorn Turnoff ,just opposite Weeks Lane,among trees ,just off the road.The trees lead up to the house in the field.I believe that house was there when the crash happened
Alf