Lancaster Mk.I PB857 near Lindholme airfield.

On 9th October 1945 this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was flown on a training flight. By the time the aircraft was close to landing at base of Lindholme the port outer engine cut out and the propeller could not be feathered so was left windmilling. On the approach to land in poor visibility the pilot lost control making a turn over the peatlands to the east of the airfield. At 13.36hrs it crashed and came to rest in a small area of rough woodland, across a ditch within the peatland area and a fire broke out within the aircraft. The crew appear to have managed to scramble out. At 13.40hrs the fire tender crew were informed by Lindholme Flying Control of the crash and the tender was despatched toward the site but was unable to reach it. The fire that broke out after the crash had to be left to burn itself out but this unfortunately also set fire to the peatlands surrounding the site.

Historian Eric Barton gave me the crew list I show below but has since died. I never did ask him his source for this I have not been able to find it recorded in original source records myself.

Pilot - P/O Harris Reid RAFVR (200699).

Sgt E N Wallace. Injured.

Sgt F N/W Wookey. Injured.

Sgt Kettle.

P/O Griffin.

Sgt Harman.

General overviews of the crash site showing the ditch that caused the aircraft issues and where it then caught fire. These photographs were taken in June 2014 when some very nasty flying hornet-like creatures were guarding the site and bite through clothing. A warning to anyone potentially visiting; stay away when it is hot.

A collection of a few interesting items found on the peat surface. The foil in the photograph below appears to be "window". It was carrying guns because .303 cases are at the site, which is interesting to know post-war Lancasters at training units were still flying armed. The buckle is from a parachute.