Mosquito TV982
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Mosquito TV982
July 31st 1948.
An unusual crash site in that the aircraft wasn’t too low and flew into the mountainside as is usually the case. It was either struck by lightning flying through storm clouds, or suffered structural failure due to turbulence and broke up in mid air, falling into Cwm Llan, the valley to the south of the summit of Snowdon.
Both men on board, Pilot 2 Josiah Campbell and passenger Corporal Charles Edward Walker were killed. They were returning to base at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland from RAF Horsham St Faith, Norfolk.
Some reports say Cpl Walker (ground crew) was being given a lift so he could return home to see his wife and new born twins.
Grid references; debris at SH 61048 52930, 61085 52982, 61086 52980, 61086 52993
From the crash site of Spitfire X4843, the place where much of Mosquito TV982 fell is circled.
EDIT 03 February 2025
Comment below by William Williamson copied here so people will see it.
Was 18 years old stationed at RAF Llanbedr and was sent to Snowdown with three colleagues to mount Crash Guard. When we arrived at the Scene the Aiccaft was in bits. The largest part was the tail wheel. The Bodies were removed but a small case remained spilling out a small Doll. I always remembered the and many years afterwards wrote to RAF Records who gave me the information I sought. The name of the Plot and Cpl Walker getting a lift home to see his unborn Child. I wrote a long dessertation ofmy experience.I had a photograph of the scene along with my three colleagues I was standing on the large Rock amid the Rivlette. Everything was so wet we couldn’t light a fire so we ate the Rice Crispies provided soaked in water tainted with Glycogen engine coolan. I am now 95 years of age and will forever remember the scene.
Another sad tale – what a tragic twist if he was on his way home to see his new family. The ‘Mossie’ aka ‘The Wooden Wonder’ was such an inspired design. I remember seeing footage where each fuselage half was fitted out completely then glued together just like an Aifiix kit. Good stuff Ian – keep up the great work 🙂
A very sad tale, Ian, bad visibility or bad weather cannot be avoided lots of time I am sure, especially in the 40’s! Hopefully these days the planes have a little more warning and help to avoid such tragedies in a lot of cases. A stunning photo again, love the low cloud on the mountain! Have a good weekend!!:-)
A lovely landscape with a tragic tale to tell.
great photos ian but a sad story
what a sad way to go. done nothing wrong but still get ‘smite by the earth’!
thanks for the series info .. i can’t help but be quite taken with the rather fetching stonewalls. they’re built in what seems to be a very remote location!
Great work Ian. Sad that Walker was just trying to see his babies. I agree with Ang about the stonewalls, I thought if this was a remote location it was a lot of work.
I’ve just been informed today that it was my Great Uncle Charles that was passenger in this plane.
My Nans brother, she named her own son Charles (born before the crash) and my brother has named his son Charlie (2011). How sad that family history gets so lost.
Hello TR. Can I ask if you are Tracy Roberts? Are you the daughter of Dave & Shirley? Was looking at this site and found your comment. If so your Grandmother (Queenie) is my Nans (Greta) sister and brother of Charlie Walker.
Yes that’s me daughter of David and Shirley. I remember auntie Greta. How nice to hear from you
Well if you’ve got to go in this fashion then thats a hell of a spot to end up. Great shot.
time really does stand still for these guys , a reminder of what they all gave to give us the life we have now, poignant and yet a beautiful place for sure,love the dry stane dykes,watched a guy make these,quite an art to it
Nice work Ian. I thought I recognised this one from the thumbnail.
Fascinating photo and story, easy to think you just nip out for half an hour to do this but realise it must be something of an expedition. Good work
Another interesting piece Ian.
A very sad tale.
It always seems to me even more tragic when passengers and ‘lifts’ such as Cpl Walker are lost in crashes like this. That’s not intended to diminish the tragedy of any aircrew losses, but the aircrew usually had a degree more control over their destiny and also a much better understanding the inherent risks of wartime flying.
Great photography too. The lead photo is a really nice context shot and your ND waterfall is lovely.
The clouds add to the dramatic scenery.
"It was either struck by lightning…"
I’ve just recalled a passage from ‘Der rote Kampfflieger’ by Manfred von Richthofen, a tiny book which I’ve read only recently. At one point Richthofen recollects how he was flying his Albatros through the storm, being seriously afraid of the crash. He ended his reminiscence of that dangerous flight with a rather surprising sentence: "At that time I wasn’t aware that aircrafts couldn’t be struck by lightnings" !!
As always, your adventures conjure up a mixture of sadness and admiration.
Beautiful location.
I was a member of a crash guard on the day after the crash Many years afterwards I told of my experience.I was 18 at the time I am now 87.I am sorely disappointed that my description of the scene appears to be deleted particularly since my relatives recently climbed Snowdon. Told them to Google ” Mosquito crash Snowdon 1948” They would not read me input.
Hello William,
As admin for this site, I have not deleted any comments from those there at the time, however I note you commented on Graham Stephen’s page some years ago. Please see this link. I hope this is what you were looking for?
Cpl Walker was my Great Uncle. I have been told it was 1946 not 48. He had given my Nan away at her wedding 3 days before and was indeed heading home to his family. I am now in the RAF (24yrs) and plan on doing a trip to the site in the near future.
Thanks Robert, I shall have another look re: the date.
Ian
1948 is correct
Was 18 years old stationed at RAF Llanbedr and was sent to Snowdown with three colleagues to mount Crash Guard. When we arrived at the Scene the Aiccaft was in bits. The largest part was the tail wheel. The Bodies were removed but a small case remained spilling out a small Doll. I always remembered the and many years afterwards wrote to RAF Records who gave me the information I sought. The name of the Plot and Cpl Walker getting a lift home to see his unborn Child. I wrote a long dessertation ofmy experience.I had a photograph of the scene along with my three colleagues I was standing on the large Rock amid the Rivlette. Everything was so wet we couldn’t light a fire so we ate the Rice Crispies provided soaked in water tainted with Glycogen engine coolan. I am now 95 years of age and will forever remember the scene.
Hi William,
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. It’s so good to hear from people who were there at the time. I have added your comment to the main narrative above, hope that’s ok?
You have pretty much confirmed the sad story of Corporal Walker getting a lift home.
I’d love to see the photograph but it sounds like you no longer have it?
Thank you again for adding to the history of this accident.
Best wishes,
Ian
Ian,
I’d love to be able to contact William to clarify a couple of points e.g. the re was an RAF MRT at Llanbedr at that time and it would ‘normally’ have been their role to provide the initial crash guard, it would be good to get clarification over this point. And I’d also like William’s permission to reprint his recollection in On the Hill 2025 credited to him and your website?
Thansk Brian, I have sent you an email.
Ian