Henley L3357 near Bootle.
On 8th July 1942 this No.1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit aircraft was used to tow a target around the area off the coast at Nethertown to give gunnery training to either ground based or airborne gunners. After just over two hours flying circuits the pilot noticed that the oil pressure started to fluctuate and then drop. He informed the ground station of the problem and that he was dropping the target to then return to base. While the aircraft reached the beach the oil pressure fell to zero. The pilot realised the engine would soon fail so climbed the aircraft as much as possible before it did to attempt to reach Millom airfield. When at 1700 feet the engine failed and glycol fumes then filled the cockpit, the pilot was then left with little option but to glide as best he could and as far as possible before force landing. He made a landing on a rocky part of the beach near Selker, around two miles from Bootle, at 14.00hrs. Whilst this is very much low ground it still falls on land which is now part of the Lake District National Park.
Pilot - Sgt L V MacDonald RCAF (R/95755). Uninjured.
Winch operator - LAC George Arthur Hall RAFVR (1184014). Injured.