Hurricane Collision 27/9/1941

[Andy Saunders]

Can anyone identify details of the collision between two Hurricanes over Suffolk on 27 September 1941.

What were the circumstances - pilots, serial no's, squadrons etc.

[SMF144]

Unfortunately I can't because I wasn't there.

Sorry mate.

[JohnE]

Two Hurricanes of 133 Sq collided killing the pilots. I don't know if this happened in Suffolk. Serials: Z3335 and Z3828. Pilots: P/O Barrell and P/O Soares. I can't tie the pilots to serials.

/John

[Andy Saunders]

John

That is very helpful and almost certainly the incident I am looking for.

If I can tie serial numbers to pilots I will come back to you. Do you happen to know if it was an operational flight by the way?

Andy

[paulmcmillan]

Air Britain Aeromilitaria crash sites has this happening at "Anton Hill", near Fowlmere

[Andy Saunders]

Paul

I had noted this. However, my information seems to point to the incidents (or at least one) happening in Suffolk. It is on my list to check as I am working on some detailed 1941 related loss listings for RAF Fighter Command.

Andy

[paulmcmillan]

I will ask on RAF Commands for someone to look up death registration district for these 2 - may pin point a better location

[paulmcmillan]

The deaths of Soares (aged 22) and Barrell (aged 29) were both at Cambridge (Ref Vol 3b Page 965) - This to be indicates a location of deathnear Fowlmere

[Andy Saunders]

Thanks Paul! That leaves a bit of a mystery over the Suffolk incidents.

[BC]

Did someone say "Suffolk incidents" ?

On 26 (not 27 ?) September 1941 two Hurricane IIs of 607 Sqn which had moved to Martlesham Heath in August and had made their first sweep on 18 September, collided in mid-air over the village of Eastbridge. The incident occurred at 1155 hours.

Both pilots, P/O G R Lane in Z2964, and P/O A Y M McCombe in Z2681 baled out, sustaining minor injuries in the process. One of the Hurricanes crashed onto the edge of the marsh behind the "Eel's Foot" PH at Eastbridge, the other fell between Upper Abbey Farm and Ash Wood, between Eastbridge and Leiston.

The crash-site of at least one of the above has already been investigated, about 10 years ago by members of the EAARG, to whose Jeff Carless the above info should be credited. His info also states what I suspect you already know; that McCombe was killed on 6 November 1941 off the Belgian coast, and Lane going into the sea off Gravelines on 27 April 1942, the latter being a Suffolk man from Aldeburgh.

Now why would a Sussex man be interested in Hurricane crashes in Suffolk ?

BC