RN Fairey Barracuda MD963 on Close Moss, Marsden, West Yorkshire.
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RN Fairey Barracuda MD963 on Close Moss, Marsden
Not much is known about this accident. Pilot Sub-Lieutenant George Henry Ambler died in the crash on 29 July 1945. Cunningham says there was a witness however, a rambler who saw the Barracuda appear from the clouds. The pilot suddenly saw the ground and pulled away in a tight turn. However, Sub-Lieutenant Ambler apparently pulled a bit too hard, and the rambler saw that as the Barracuda banked, it stalled and fell to the ground, exploding on impact.
The Barracuda was based at Royal Naval Air Station Dunino Station Flight, but flown from RNAS Donibristle near Dunfermline.
Pule Hill and the Carriage House inn beyond.
This photo appears in the photobook Marsden Moods.
See www.northernmoods.co.uk/
(thanks Andy)
Details from Peakland Air Crashes – The North by Pat Cunningham (2006).
Barracuda MD963 crashed on the same day as this Mustang;
https://aircrashsites.co.uk/air-crash-sites-5/raf-p51-c-mustang-43-12427-formerly-usaaf-sr-411-on-darwen-moor-lancashire-england-4/
what a lovely shot with the cross atilt like that with those windy swept grasses. I hope you are adding all these new ones to your map. 🙂
ah yes, thanks for the reminder!
It’s good that you are recording these photographically as the sites are now.
Very nice shot and as always love the info~
A nice shot, I’m pleased there’s a memorial too.
So many training crashes – it must have been as hazardous as ops.
Another site recorded for posterity, glad someone’s doing it!
Lovely little memorial Ian.
Well done ,Ian , another to the collection .
sad memory Ian.i meant to say there is a memorial site near here for a pilot called Hillary i will look up info on him later and let you know
have a fab weekend
Thanks everyone for stopping by, it’s always very much appreciated.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/highy/]
Al, according to Patrick Bishop (Bomber Boys, great book, he quotes Don Charlwood a lot), non-operational flights accounted for 15% of all Bomber Command deaths during the war, but of course that doesn’t include fighters or training aircraft like Harvards, or indeed Barracuda MD963.
Looking at Bomber Command losses though, to give us an idea, 44.4% of 125,000 aircrew were killed, that is 55,573 deaths. If 15% of those men and women were killed in non-ops flights, then that is 8,336 aircrew?
more on Bomber Command;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3556063/Bomber-Command-deserv...
Wow! Thanks for sharing this Ian
Now this looks a very familiar location,Ian.Pule Hill in makes a fine back drop.
I think this shot is worth putting in here Ian.What do you think?
Hi, we’re working on a photobook with all profits going to local charities in Marsden Marsden photobook, and we’d love to have this added to the group! Please check out the group threads to find out more.
Much nicer then than it was today.
Nice Shot!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyholmfirth/]
Thanks Andy.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/8976830@N03/]
I don’t know, the reflected cross in the puddle is a nice detail.
Superb!
superbe
fab shot and great story – very grateful that there was a witness account, otherwise who’s to know? pertinent info there in yr comments too about Bomber Cmmd losses, there really needs to be more awareness for these ‘lost’ folk.
take care Ian.
I remeber visiting this one …i spent some time wandering through the long grass searching for it before giving up and finding it alongside the path on my way back to the car !
i want to go to this wreck when next in England. not far from where i hiked so i will cross reference my pix to see how close i was to it. RIP to the Barracuda pilot.
also to add what is the map ref? had it before in my dark peak book but not got the book with me. also any1 have the gps co ords? easy enough to find with pule hill and the pub in the background. who am i kidding hehe
hi Nick, the grid ref is SE 02365 10445.
The co-ordinates are 53°35’26.1″N 1°57’56.7″W
Best of luck with your search. Went up there last July, photo below. The cross is looking a little tired and there are slightly fewer fragments than on the previous visit, but so it goes.
Ian