Daughter of B17 gunner to visit crash site

[Julian]

Hello everyone, For some 30 years now I have been researching the collision in Herts of two B17`s over the village of Weston. This took place at 9.03 Sat 26th August 1944 and resulted in the deaths of 14 aircrew and 2 civilians. Both planes came from the 390th BG based at Framlingham. Over the years I have had close and distant relatives contact me for more details as well as once visit the crash site. Next week I have Mary flying over from the USA her father was S/Sgt Martin Kilbride who was the waist gunner on one of these collision B17`s named Ding Dong Daddy. I have supplied Mary with all my research, which she has passed to her family, including eye-witness accounts, artefacts found at the site and documents. Until 6 months ago Mary and her family only knew that her father had "been killed somewhere in the European theatre of war" Next week Mary is going to stand on the exact spot where her father was killed 67 years ago, ..the father she never knew and never knew her, she will also meet 3 eye-witnesses to the event...Mary has kindly supplied me with over 100 photographs of Martin Kilbride and more notes and details on him than I could ever have thought I would see. 30 years ago at the tender age of 18, could I ever have imagined one day I would meet Martin Kilbride`s daughter? No I think not, a true honour indeed. Over the years I heard about a published now out of print Group history book, (most USAAF Groups appear to have produced an official or semi official publication at the end of the conflict). The one I am interested in is that of the 390th BG, as rumour has it, that it contains a photo of this incident showing falling wreckage. Once when I came across a copy of this rare book the relevant pages had been ripped away. I was wondering if anyone knows of a copy, that the pictures could be scanned from to me...Im curious to know if this is indeed the Herts collision or a re-run of the famous photo of two B17`s colliding over Thurleigh which seems to crop up everywhere, and of course if it is a different photo I would like to be able to show Mary a true image of the event that took her fathers life......if such exists......Kind regards.
Ps in the 390BG organisation files in USA the photograph held in their records is what we know as the Thurleigh collision one...although the writing on reverse has faded and is now illegible. I suspect the 390th BG History book has re-used this Thurleigh image simply to show what a collision looks like.....so perhaps after 30 years Im just chasing yet another ghost.........no change there then!!!

[Larry]

If you put faded writing under ultra violet light it can often show up what was written. Not much help but it could help identify the photo

[Julian]

Thanks Larry I will pass that recommendation on, thats most helpful. Just to say if you might be interested in Mary`s visit there will be a short feature on www.redkitebooks.co.uk and it will later be an article in Britain at War magazine....kind regards Julian

[Julian]

Just to update everyone the visit went extremely well, Mary came over with her cousin Connie and we visited the crash site three times. We even found a few fragments on the woodland floor which were shown to them both. Several villagers arrived to meet them including three eye-witnesses.....John Amess a local author also came and showed them an artefact he had recently acquired the enamelled Boeing badge from one of the B17`s control columns....taken at the time. Next day I took them both to Duxford where we met Peter Murton (Research and information Officer) who gave them a talk and allowed Mary to try on a WW2 USAAF flak jacket. We also met Chris Knapp the Conservation Manager who allowed both Connie and Mary to get closer than usual to Sally B. This was marvellous as Sally B is undergoing relocation in a busy period so I really appreciate the extra efforts made on behalf of these two individuals for Mary and Connie. Next day the ladies departed from Stevenage and carried on a two week tour of UK and Ireland. It was both an honour and privilege to be able to fill ion the gaps for Mary about her Father, and for the wider family in USA. The full story concerning this 390th BG collision with wartime c rash photos and wartime photos of the crews involved can shortly be seen in Britain at War magazine.. Regards Julian