Wellington DV821 on Greenhow Bank, Pateley Bridge.
This incident has been covered in a number of publications over the last thirty years with the best being Brian Lunn's in his book on aircraft crashes in the Nidderdale area. On 26th September 1942 the crew of this No.26 Operational Training Unit aircraft had taken off from Wing at 09.38hrs to undertake a day time navigation exercise. Two hours later and while they were flying just off the north west coast of England the starboard propeller and reduction gear broke away and fell off. The propeller struck the fuselage as it came away and possibly struck and killed one of the crew. The pilot set course for either Dishforth or Catterick airfield but was unable to maintain height with only one engine. Flying for forty five minutes with only the one engine the crew probably realised that they were not going to make Dishforth. In an article in (the now late) Brian Barker's local history magazine "Old Yorkshire" of February 2002, Lucy Thirkill wrote that the aircraft was seen to flying over Pateley Bridge but flying in a roughly a westerly direction. If this was the case then the pilot must by this stage have realised their situation and had turned back west to find somewhere to land, moments after it crossed Nidderdale it crashed on Greenhow Bank at 12.15hrs. A number of people in Nidderdale had seen the aircraft fly over very low and witnessed it crash. Former Pateley resident Mr Derek Miles contacted me in 2007 and confirmed that the aircraft was flying east-west. Many of these local people now made their way up Greenhow Bank to the aircraft which was now begining to burn. The pilot was able to free himself and went around
to the rear of the aircraft but found the rear gunner had already got out of the aircraft. The pilot then tried to re-enter the front of the aircraft but was beaten back by flames. By this stage the witnesses to crash had begun to arrive and assisted in the rescue of the crew. The cause of the propeller detachment was later put at faulty maintainance with ground crew held responsible. The pilot had his log book endorsed in green for coolness and discretion.
The National Archives have released details of recommendations for awards for people involved in the rescue attempt and lists the following people as being involved. Searchlight Regiment Gunner George Henry Ward, First Aider George Cornwallis West, Mr Phillip Metcalfe Godfrey Thorpe, Mr Joseph Taylor, Police Constable Fred Graham and Doctor George Walkeley Alderman.
Lucy Thirkill gives the following names of those arriving at the scene and stated that Mr George Cornwallis-West and Mr Joseph Taylor who had seen the crash from Pateley Bridge main street and had jumped into Taylor's car and set off for the aircraft, stopping to pick up local policeman PC Fred Graham. Also at the crash site was Dr George Walkley Alderman, he had stopped at the chemists to get dressings which he thought may be of use. Also to arrive was a member of the searchlight battery team from Pateley Bridge, Gunner George Henry Ward and a Mr Philip Thorpe who had been in his caravan at Bewerley. Gunner Ward and Mr Thorpe were first to enter the burning aircraft followed by Cornwallis-West and PC Graham. They were eventually able to pull one airman from the front of the Wellington (this would later turn out to be the dead airman killed by the propeller). Not knowing how many were still on board they attempted to enter the aircraft again but an explosion blew them off their feet. PC Graham then went around the back and tried to get inside again but another explosion prevented this. At this stage two airmen were located behind a wall and they were able to say that there were five on the aircraft, the other survivor was one of these and was thrown clear in the crash. Brian Lunn gives a different set of names in his book. Stanley Light, who was in the National Fire Service, and collegue LFF Fred Chadwick entered the burning aircraft and pulled the dead airman clear (but neither were recommended for awards so this seems unlikely). The pilot and the rear gunner had already set off down the hill to a farm to seek help.
For their efforts PC Graham, of Riggs House, was recommended for the Civilian Gallantry Award and the others received letters of appreciation. Also thanked were Fred Alcock, George Kent, Henry Read and Guy Buckle who had arrived later but also assisted in the rescue.
Pilot - Sgt Laurence Herman Bertrand RCAF (R/109349). Injured.
Navigator - Sgt Stanley Langley RAFVR (1381333). Injured.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Harry Beazley RCAF (R/104295), of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Cliff Keightley RAFVR (1202833), aged 29. Buried Wealdstone Cemetery, Harrow, Middlesex.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Samuel Hitchen RAF (647480). Injured.
John Keightley was the son of Frederick and Mary Keightley. He appears to have been born at Gibraltar on 15th May 1913 but by the 1939 Register date he was living in Leicestershire. He married Irene Adeline Edmonds at Harrow Weald on 4th November 1939. He is buried in Wealdstone Cemetery, Middlesex. He is also commemorated on the Wymondham War Memorial, Leicestershire with that of a probable brother Cpl George William Keightley, 8th Btn, Parachute Regiment who died on 13th June 1944. I thank his grandson Stephen for contacting me in October 2012 who kindly supplied the photograph of his grandfather shown above and the wish that it was only shown on this webpage (though it is also on Ancestry).
Left to right: historian Brian Lunn, pilot Laurie Bertrand and navigator Stan Langley in the York Arms pub, Ramsgill.
Laurie Bertrand suffered a crushed vertebrae, broken right foor and facial burns as a result of the accident detailed above. He died in 2012.
Stan Langley was also badly burned and he later went to East Grinstead Hospital for skin grafts after he recovered from his other injuries. This hospital was made famous for such an operation and the patients were known as "Guinea Pigs". He died in December 1994.
Samuel Hitchen suffered a broke back and was badly burned but he recovered and was able to return to flying some time later and joined the squadron known as the 617 "Dambuster" Squadron. He was sadly killed serving with 617 Squadron on 16th September 1943 when Lancaster EE130 crashed near Ibbenburen. He is buried in Reichswald War Cemetery. He was F/Lt R A F Allsebrook DSO DFC's rear gunner. I thank Mr Graham Sharpe for the photograph of his gravestone.
Harry Beazley suffered a broken ankle in this accident but soon recovered, he received a commission and as F/O (J/19855) but was killed on 8th June 1944 when Lancaster LL945 crashed whilst serving with 15 Squadron. He was twenty six years old and is buried in Gambais Churchyard.
Using Derek Miles' recollections and information provided by another witness during the early days of this website (who's name I do not recall) the aircraft is suggested as having crashed somewhere in this area of moorland near the large Greenhow quarry. I walked across the area in 2014 trying to spot any small bare area of ground which may have yielded some sign of where the aircraft caught fire but found nothing. I would welcome contact from anyone who can confirm if this is the crash location. Other people have also stated that the aircraft did not crash in this area but crashed much nearer Pateley Bridge near Long Green Head and Bent's Farm and this location would fit better for people from Pateley Bridge being on the scene much faster.
My thanks to Mr Derek Miles for contacting me and for the information he was able to provide and to Brian Lunn for allowing an original photograph of him and two of the crew to appear on this webpage.
Wellington DV821 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden, Chester and was awaiting collection in April 1942. It was received by 44 M.U. on 21st April 1942 and was then taken on charge by 26 O.T.U. at Wing on 4th May 1942. In early July 1942 it was slightly damaged in a minor flying accident which saw it receive Cat.Ac/FA damage. It was repaired on site and returned to 26 O.T.U. on 25th July 1942. As a result of the crash near Pateley Bridge on 26th September 1942 Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was recorded after assessment of the wreckage and it was written off. It was struck off charge on 6th October 1942.
