Defiant, T.Wells,

[uckwash]

Can anyone shed any light on the EXACT LOCATION for this loss please??:

7.9.41
T4049 c/n 551 deld to 24 MU 4.4.41:264 Sqn (Madras Presidency then at West Malling, Kent) 20.4.41 Engine cut ; crew baled out over Eridge Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Sgt L. Tokarzyk injured

'One local incident occurred on the 7th September for the day ended when a Defiant night fighter, crashed at 9.20 pm at Charlton's Nursery, Eridge Rd, and exploded. Fortunately both crew members escaped by parachute with the gunner landing at Southborough and the pilot in the grounds of 17 Frant rd.'


I can't find any local elderly citizens of this town with any specific knowledge of its whereabouts, other than that it was somewhere near to the Gardencentre mentioned above. Its rather vague as the nursey was more extensive in 1941 than it is now.

Any help much appreciated

Dave

[Andy Saunders]

As I recall, one turns left out of Broadwater Down in the Neville Crest & Gun direction and the Defiant fell immediately on the left hand side of the road.

I was shown the spot years ago, but forget the exact site now although probably marked it on my maps. I drove past there a couple of weeks back and thought about it as I drove by!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Dave

Certainly cannot help, but I am very interested in finding out from where you got the c/n 551 for this Defiant. Do you have other c/n for the type as well?

Cheers
Stig

[uckwash]

The data was allegedly via the 'Defiant File - Alec Brew' if that means anything.

Thanks Andy.

I think Steve Vizzard was getting back, on this. But I don't think he's receiving my Emails, which maybe he's delegated to a PA.

On this topic I think Pat Burgess must be on another Email too?

Dave

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Dave

Just my luck. The only AB File book I never bought....

Cheers
Stig

[uckwash]

BTW Andy (Saunders).

Your description is within Sussex.

Frant is the Parish, and I think Frant Parish, oddly in those days (1941) at least was part of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

But I cant recall if you deemed it to be so within your 'Over Sussex' series of books?

Dave

[Andy Saunders]

There was certainly nothing in the Sussex ARP/CD reports or Sussex Police Reports, so presumably was dealt with by Tunbridge Wells Police. Possibly just as a matter of expediency as it was so close? A similar situation with a Hurricane at Bewlbridge, which is just in Sussex but not in Sussex reports.

[uckwash]

I find this interesting. So I made a layered map using Powerpoint.

Part of Frant (Parish) is in fact in Kent (see dotted County boundary, below)

& Part (about one half) of Lamberhurst is indeed in Sussex.

You may have known all that Andy. But it also makes me think the incident reporting around Tunbridge Wells was in fact quite accurate.

Hmmmm. makes me wonder about the Defiant site.

Did you locate it yourself?

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/7008/12oclock.jpg

[Andy Saunders]

Interesting!

In respect of the Hurricane at Bewlbridge, having visited and located the exact crash site and plotted it on a map it is certainly JUST inside the Sussex boundary.

[uckwash]

I think probably VERY close Andy (see attachment).

I didn't get an answer about the P51 location, was there clear evidence of it being this a/c?

(440711 P-51B15 43-24844 354FS 355FG (Steeple Morden, Cambs.) 122 8 BOEF 5 Tremberth, Floyd W 0-2035180 1st Lt ENG Flimwell)

There presumably was never any evidence of the Norwegian Spitfire IX that crashed in Ticehurst?

(Lt Hans Ragnar Isachsen (safe) , 332 sqn (Bognor Regis from N.Weald 31.03.44 -21.06.44 to Tangmere), a/c crashed (Cat E) due to engine problem, poss.Ticehurst)

Dave
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9...urstparish.jpg