Hawker Hart K3155 at Old Denaby.

Why these two aeroplanes were over the Mexborough area on 28th October 1935 is not known. The pilot of Hawker Hart K3155 was flying in company with another aeroplane with visibility poor, both crossed roughly above High Melton flying in a south-westerly direction and after passing over Mexborough Pastures. With the engine failing Kart K3155 made a forced landing near Denaby Main. It landed in one field, ran through a hedge, crossed a second field (owned by Mr George Downing) but could not be brought to a stop before running into the northern edge of Denaby Wood. Damage to the wings, undercarriage and nose occurred but the pilot escaped injury. The second aeroplane was landing in the ajoining field without incident so the two airmen in that could assist with the crashed aeroplane. A fuel leak on K3155 occurred and with this incident being so close to what was the British Westphalite Ltd explosive works hoses were brought to the site. The three airmen walked to the factory to telephone for assistance before returning to their aeroplanes. The other two airmen then took off in the aeroplane that was undamaged and left the pilot of the damaged one at the crash site. The following day a crash party from 504 Squadron was sent to Denaby to collect the wrecked aeroplane and they recovered it to Hucknall airfield, despite the distance involved for them. It was assessed at Hucknall and deemed beyond repair but was converted into a ground instructional airframe 743M.

These two aeroplanes appear to have been with the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, but why they were so far north is not known.

In more recent years an area of the woodland was felled and the crash site appears to have been built over with modern factory buildings.

Pilot - F/O William Waters Stainthorpe RAF (26214).