Trying to ID crashed British (?) a/c and pilot's grave WC/FC in France or Belgium

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I know that there is very little to go on here in terms of either wreckage or surrounding geography, but can anyone either help ID the type of a/c (likely a single engine fighter, because apparently carried only one crewman), or the timing and location of this crash? This looks like the plane came down from altitude with the pilot still aboard and violently smashed into the ground. Someone may recognize some of the pieces and parts here as specific to an a/c type. The seller caption says this is France. This could well show the crash location of a British airman MIA to present day.

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...E:L:OU:US:3160

The hand-written caption on the back says:

"Die verbrannte Leiche des Engl.Fliegers haben wir schoen beerdigt und Ihn ein Kreuz gesetzt."

"We have buried the burned body of the English flyer and put up a cross for him."

I know that it's a long shot, but anything will help. I won the photo, so we may be able to get the words written off the cross when it arrives, but they are very unlikely to help further ID the pilot. Probably says "unknown British flyer" or something like that.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[markjsheppard]

Nice easy one Larry.

Tree line behind helps regarding location and as you note - probably France/Belgium. Was trying to work out if the crops were early in the season? autumn 1939 or spring 1940?

Aircraft type. Does not seem to be enough tubing for a Hurricane and fewer Spitfire loses? Seems to be an oxygen bottle at their feet.

Was wondering if the bottom left was the remains of a wheel spat/cover? Lysander?

regards

Mark

[Larry]

I've attached the photo as these auctions close too quickly then the photo is lost for future research

[Larry Hickey]

Larry,

Thanx. Since I won this one at auction, I didn't really know how quickly this one would be un-viewable to the people here. Thanx Larry for being proactive about this.

Mark, I know that this is a really easy one; surprised you don't already have this one put to bed for may. I was trying to do my easiest problems first. Wait till we get to the hard ones.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Larry]

It looks like the Pas de Calais area to me and as for the crops they could be some kind of cabbage or root crop. I think this photo was taken in the summer; not much evidence of autumn mud and the Luftwaffe personnel don't look to cold for it to be winter, so my guess is summer 1940.

[Larry Hickey]

Larry,

I fully agree with your comments. Could still easily be from a crash during the May-June, 1940 WC/FC. No way of knowing how soon after the actual event the "graves registration" people came through to clean up the site.

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Have now received the original print of this photo. As I suspected it says an unidentified English flyer, but it gives a date 23.8.40. No way to know if this was close to the date of the crash, or was later. Does this clue suggest anything to anybody? Does any part of the wreckage suggest a particular type of British a/c?

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-TP9...-TP97kZp-L.jpg

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-B6b...-B6bZNFz-L.jpg

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[paulmcmillan]

Just a wild guess based on date could it be



T1990 218 Squadron Blenheim lost on this date 2 of 3 crew dead 1 POW?

It was certainly lost in Calais area and what is interesting is that the two crew are buried separately
(suggests later burial)

does anything look Blenheim ish?? but I accept all suggestions were a single seater

Paul

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Could it have been Battle L5503 or could it read as the 25 for Spitfire K9819 ?
Alex

[udf_00]

Maybe some u/c parts from a Blenheim :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/esmarsh...ream/lightbox/
Was not Sgt Philip Thomas Wareing of no. 616 Sq. taken POW on 25 AUG 1940 ?