Wellington BK387.

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Fragments of debris from Wellington BK387, near Oakworth, Yorkshire

2nd visit to this site. These are some of the fragmentary remains we found in the vicinity. This Canadian crewed Wellington bomber crashed in January 1944 while on a night time navigation exercise, with the loss of all on board.

The cause of the crash is unclear. Canadian crewed Wellington BK387 was on a night training exercise when the aircraft descended through cloud and crashed into farmland, January 2nd 1944. One witness account suggests Warrant Officer Glass was trying to land the plane in the fields.

This same account quotes the landlord of the nearby Grouse Inn, who says he had gone to his outside toilet and, with the door open (after all the customers had gone home for the night…) “he sat there frightened out of his skin as he could see the plane heading straight for his loo”. Fortunately for him at least, the Wellington crashed just beyond the pub.

Crew
Warrant Officer E.I Glass (Pilot)
Flying Officer J.J McHenry (Navigator)
Warrant Officer J E Dalling, (Bomb Aimer)
Warrant Officer J Henfrey (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant E Savage (Air Gunner)
Sergeant N W Crawford (Air Gunner)

For more about this well remembered crash, see The Tewitt Lane Memorial page at
www.oakworthvillage.com/

Some crew photos from there

W/O Glass, RCAF

Flying Officer McHenry RCAF

W/O Henfrey, RCAF

18 comments on “Wellington BK387.
  1. Tech Owl says:

    Only small fragments then Ian. Nice memorial site though

  2. Anonymous says:

    amazing dof

  3. Anonymous says:

    amazing dof

  4. mickb6265 says:

    as interesting as usual,ian…hell of an impact,too,looking at the pieces….

  5. *Psycho Delia* says:

    I really like seeing your research.. it’s good that you’re keeping such a detailed record of events from such a long time ago..

  6. pasujoba says:

    Well captured Ian , The shot of the wreckage looks as if its on the edge of a precipice rather than edge of a pool .
    The shot of the monument also contains the gulley in which the fuselage came to rest .

  7. sidewinder54 (Closed For Business) says:

    Excellent work as always Ian..I am always amazed that you can still find so many fragments all these years on.

  8. McAlister says:

    Wow – what a find Ian, and it’s a great shot of it too – the green tones and the focus are great.

  9. redrocker_9 says:

    Not very much left at all

  10. rob of rochdale says:

    That’s a cracking perspective Ian.

  11. het broertje van.. says:

    ………………..sad story man!!!

    Beautiful taken shot!

    Janwillem

  12. Gary Shield says:

    Nicely taken shot Ian

  13. Billy Currie says:

    I never realized we have had so many air crashes in the uk

  14. rob of rochdale says:

    Cracking dof Ian and, once again, a fascinating story

  15. asterperious says:

    Hi Ian,

    WO Glass was my great uncle, the young boy in the other photo is my uncle Max – Also later an RCAF pilot. We’ve all been to the Crash site a few times. I used ot be in touch with Dave Binney in Haworth/Oakworth, think he did the site you referenced. Anyway, I have all of Ernests papers, medals, pictures from my grandfather and from Corrine. Is there any chacne you might be able to part with some of the crash pieces? I’d love to have some fragments. BTW both Ernest and Savage were pre war squadron mates in #3 Bomber squadron based in Calgary, also my hometown. I have tried to find contemprary pictures of the crash, but no luck

    Anyway, nice to see so many people rembering something that was always seemed such a prominet but private part of family lore. It is a sad and also beautiful spot.

  16. Ian D B says:

    Hi asteperious, thank you for dropping by and commenting, good to hear from you. This site is particularly well remembered. I’m afraid I don’t have any fragments though – the bits that we found we left at the site. I’ll send you a mail via Flickr.
    Thanks again
    Ian

    This is the photo referred to

    Warrant Officer Ernest Israel Glass RCAF, Pilot of Wellington BK387

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