On Friday, 17th July 1953 this aircraft was being flown from RNAS Anthorn (west of Carlisle) to Boscombe Down (near Bournemouth) when it was flown through a severe storm. The aircraft suffered from a broken throttle control so the pilot made a successful forced landing in a field near Grasmere sports field. I have not found any other details of the incident at the time of creating this webpage.
Pilot - F/Lt Victor John Townsend DFC RAF (185733).
Victor Townsend had served in the RAF during the Second World War, being awarded the DFC for service with 171 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th November 1945. He relinquished his commission (of F/Lt) in the RAF on 26th March 1952 on appointment to the reconstituted R.Aux.AF. Newspapers stated that he was employed by Short Brothers and Harland Ltd though I would guess that he was working at Boscombe Down and was flying the Firefly there in July 1953 when the forced landing occurred. The pilot was granted special leave to return to Grasmere with his wife and two children the week after the crash landing where he attended a church service. Was he the same person who was born on 6th January 1923 and died in May 1990.
This is possibly where the aircraft came to rest, comparing the location to a photograph of the aircraft in the field published in Michael Hurst's Lake District Air Crashes book and a photograph from a different angle printed in the local newspapers of the day.
The location of where this incident occurred has not yet been found. If you can assist please contact me HERE. Thank you.