Lysander T1689 near Ilkley.

During the afternoon of 14th January 1941 this aircraft was being ferried from Kemble airfield to Linton on Ouse airfield to join No.4 Squadron when a snowstorm was flown into over the West Riding of Yorkshire. The aircraft crashed onto Ilkley Moor killing the pilot but details of the accident are very brief at present. The accident records state that the aircraft crashed into moorland "near the summit of the hill". It was four days before the crashed aircraft was located.

The 4 Squadron O.R.B. makes two brief entries with regard the pilot of this aircraft and on the following day after the accident it stated simply "P/O Tennent overdue." It then recorded that on 18th January 1941 "P/O Tennent located on Ilkley Moor, aircraft wrecked: flown into hillside. It is clear now that the pilot became lost in a snowstorm."

Pilot - P/O William Sinclair Tennent RAF (43084), aged 21. Buried New Kilpatrick (or Hillfoot) Cemetery, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

William Tennent was born on 2nd April 1919 at Glasgow and was the son of William Whaley and Isabella Knox (nee Sinclair) Tennent. He attended the University of Glasgow between 1936 and 1939 where he gained an Arts degree. He was serving in the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) and while in the rank of Lieutenant in the Highlanders he was granted a temporary commission in the RAF as Pilot Officer on 11th April 1940.
Lysander T1689 was built to contract 23637/39 by The Westland Aircraft Company Ltd. at Yeovil and was awaiting collection in the first week of January 1941. It was allotted to 4 Squadron later that week. At that time the squadron were based at Linton on Ouse. It was being flown toward Linton on Ouse to be taken on charge by them at the time of the crash. As a result of the damage sustained on 14th January 1941 Cat.E2/FA was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.

Back to 1941 monthly table.