The trainee pilot of this No.15 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit aircraft took off from Leconfield airfield at 18.20hrs on 27th November 1942 to undertake a night training flight involving locating beacons. at 19.10hrs the aircraft dived into the ground near Cherry Burton and the pilot was killed. Why the accident occurred is unclear.
Oxford ED137 was built to contract B.67831/40 by Percival Aircraft Ltd. at Luton and was awaiting collection in May 1942. It was taken on charge by 15 (P) A.F.U. on 17th May 1942 at Leconfield. As a result of the damage sustained on 27th November 1942 the aircraft was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage being the damage assessment.
Pilot - Sgt Alec Richard Sowden RAFVR (1331841), aged 20, of Chobham, Surrey. Buried Ashford Burial Ground, Surrey (10/101).
Alec Sowden was born on 26th April 1922 in the Staines area of Middlesex and enlisted for RAF service on 15th January 1941. His death was registered as "Alexander" not "Alec".
Eric Barton, Ken Reast and Albert Pritchard were invited to attend a search for this crash site in 2008 with local aviation expert Rodney Robinson after seeking permission from the landowner. Small fragments were found on what was then the edge of Cherry Burton Golf Course. The photograph above was taken by Eric and shows a collection of fragments found by someone on what would appear to have been an earlier visit to the site being then shown to Eric, Ken and Albert during their visit. The photograph shown below is of small fragments retained by Eric that he found at the site.
