During the morning of 12th June 1942 this aircraft was being flown by an ATA pilot from 15 M.U. at Henlow to 22 M.U. at Silloth, near Carlisle. It took off from Henlow at 11.20hrs. A common route would be to fly up the centre of England, up the Vale of York and then to use the A66 Scotch Corner to Brough road as the route across the Pennines, following the railway line over Stainmore. Bad weather was encountered as this aircraft flew over the Pennines and it seems probable that the pilot became lost in thick cloud. I have yet to discover the precise course of events leading up to the crash occurring but it seems likely that the pilot had flown up Swaledale instead of following the A66 across Stainmore some ten miles further north. By the time the aircraft reached the head of Swaledale it had entered thick fog. Either then aircraft simply wasn't flying high enough when it crashed or the pilot had descended through cloud to try and locate his position just before the crash. Towards the head of Swaledale the valley splits into three smaller dales. Although he would not have been aware of it had he selected the middle one he would have probably avoided a crash; this would have seen him fly out and over Kirby Stephen. He selected the left/southern dale; Great Sled Dale, and nearing the head of this smaller valley he flew into the ground sadly killing him instantly around 13.00hrs. He appears to have been thrown out of the cockpit during the impact. At least one gamekeeper, Thomas Wilson, of Keld Lodge was eating his lunch when he heard the aeroplane fly over the area, the engine stopped suddenly and he heard a thud. Owing to fog that prevent visibility further then ten yards he could not see the aeroplane. Around three hours later, at 15.45hrs, the gamekeeper and possibly other gamekeepers were on the moor at Sleddale when they saw a crashed aeroplane, this turned out to be the one to which they had heard earlier. The pilot's body was found a short distance away. They returned him and informed the police at 18.00hrs.
Hurricane AG680 was purchased by the British Purchasing Commission from the Canadian Car & Foundry at Fort William, Ontario, Canada and was crated and shipped to the UK, arriving May 1942. Later the same month the packing crates were transported to No.7 Aircraft Assembly Unit at Henlow where the aircraft was erected. On 12th June 1942 it was collected by the ferry pilot of No.5 F.P.P. of Luton and crashed during the ferry flight north. The damage assessment recorded was Cat.E/FA and the aircraft was written off.
Pilot - 1st Officer Alexander Ronald Leslie-Melville ATA. Aged 37, of Southfield, Binfield, Berkshire. Buried Maidenhead Cemetery, Berkshire.
Alexander Ronald Leslie-Melville was the son on Alexander Broderick Leslie-Melville and Aileen Harvey-Kelly and was born on 13th December 1905 in London. His grandmother on his father's side was the daughter of 6th Earl of Midleton, Ireland, while paternal descendants were the Earls of Leven, Scotland. Both his parents sadly died in 1941 and it is thought that he was a direct descendant of William the Conquerer. His father had served in the military in WW1 as Captain and adjutant of 2nd/8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), for service he was Mentioned in Despatches.
Flight Cadet Alexander Ronald Leslie-Melville had passed through the RAF College at Cranwell, begining his course on 17th January 1924 and was granted a permanent commission as a P/O on 16th December 1925. He was promoted to F/O on 16th June 1927. On 19th December 1928 he was posted to the "RAF Training base, Leuchars". He was awarded a Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate while still at Leuchars on 28th October 1929 (Cert.No.8886). On 31st January 1930 he was placed in the RAF "retired list" on account of ill health. Why this occurred is not known, it may have been the result of an aircraft accident while based at Leuchars resulting in facial injuries. He married Mery Henriette Dallenges in April 1937 before offering his services to the ATA, presumably as he could no longer fly with the RAF but felt he had something to offer as a civilian pilot. The photograph of his grave was found on the internet and credit to "Julia&Keld" for uploading it.
These following men passed out of Cranwell at the same time as him, they rose to the upper ranks of the RAF (with their most highest ranks given) Marshal of the RAF Sir Thomas Pike (16202), ACM Sir Walter Merton (16200), AM Sir Herbert Spreckley (16207), AC Alan Bett (16191), and lastly W/C Edward Steedman (16209)(who was executed by the Japanese while a PoW). He came from a talented crop of Cadets.
The aircraft crashed onto the ridge in the centre of the photograph above, as seen from the summit of Great Shunner Fell.
I visited the crash site following the first frost of the year in October 2010. What remains of the aircraft has been collected together in a depression on the moor though much of the
metal is showing the effects of nearly seventy Pennine winters and is in poor condition.
A complete detachable access panel, as seen from the rear, is still at the crash site but in a poor condition.
The only remaining parts I found with legible lettering, other than those relating to aircraft part number sequences. On this part the words "SHAFT" and "POINT" can just be made out.
This would appear to have been on the outside of the airframe. Can anyone reading this offer an explanation to where this was situated on the aircraft?
A large section of Hurricane inner-wing.
After gentle cleaning these two part number sequences show typical Hurricane part numbers and the "CCF" inspection stamps indicate the aircraft was built under licence by The
Canadian Car and Foundary. These stampings are identical to those found on a Hurricane in the Lake District.
