On 12th September 1943 the crew of this aircraft were one of a number of Beaufighter crews tasked with night time training flights from their base at Port Ellen airfield on the Isle of Islay. Just prior to Beaufighter LX946 taking off Beaufighter LZ146 had crashed near the airfield between Port Ellen and Bowmore with both members of aircrew being killed. It was thought that the pilot of LX946 then took off but was distracted with the crash of LZ146 below and failed to climb away after leaving the ground. Beaufighter LX946 crashed into rising ground on Maol Mheadhion, a few miles east of the airfield, and sadly both airmen in the aircraft were killed.

Pilot - F/O Kenneth Brant Thomas RCAF (J/20595), aged 25, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Bowmore Churchyard, Islay.

Navigator / Wireless Operator - F/O James Roy Waldron RAFVR (138055), aged 22, of Swindon. Buried Swindon Cemetery, Wiltshire.

Kenneth Thomas and his gravestone in Bowmore Churchyard, Islay. He was born on 16th August 1918.

James Waldron received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 30th December 1942 and rose to F/O on 30th June 1943. Prior to enlisting into the RAFVR he was working in the Wiltshire Police Constabulary.

Possibly the point of impact with the ground and beyond it some wreckage of the aircraft. I visited the crash site in August 2015 after first cleared access from gamekeeper of the Laggan Estate who manage the land for deer stalking.

A collection of wreckage at the crash site.

Unidentified pieces of equipment.

An large engine cowling and a couple of the Bristol part numbers found on it.

The one remaining and very stripped down Bristol Hercules engine near the crash site. The second more complete engine was recovered some years ago.