Impact site of RAF Wellington bomber DV718 in the Yorkshire Dales
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3rd September 1942.
Wellington DV718 was taking part in a night navigation exercise which was called off due to bad weather. Lost above the moors and trying to descend through cloud, the bomber flew into Riggs Moor and blew up on impact when a fuel tank ruptured. This photo is looking back along the line of flight. Contamination from fuel prevents anything growing here.
Of the four men on board, only one survived, Navigator P/O D H Lyne RAFVR. The bomber was piloted by 20 year old New Zealander Sgt George F Ridgway RNZAF. Also killed were Bomb Aimer – Sgt Willie Allinson RAFVR, Wireless Operator Sgt Howard W Spencer RAFVR and Rear Gunner – Sgt Paul McLarnon RAFVR.
For a photo of Sgt Ridgway, click here.
www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/dales/dv718….
At the same time as this crash, another Wellington of the same flight, Z8808, also crashed on these moors. Z8808 was also piloted by a New Zealander, Flight Lieutenant P.R Coney. He and his crew all survived, the Wellington, a well built aircraft, remaining almost intact.
www.flickr.com/photos/maycontaintracesofnuts/5060031673/i…
Details from HELL ON HIGH GROUND (1999) by David W Earl.
One amazing site of devastation
Wow!
Very dramatic spot .
Great story – tell tale burned area
Great shot Ian -what I can`t understand is why it isn`t all overgrown – in fact it looks quite recent ?
Pollution from the fuel prevents anything growing here. At least, that’s how I’ve always understood it. You don’t get bare patches like this where the aircraft didn’t explode or wasn’t burned afterwards.
Ah – now I get it
Only those who have crossed this moor can possibly know what effort 6 miles of it took .
At least you have now found Z8808 🙂
My mother’s older brother was Sgt Paul McLarnon. The family never knew until recent years where he died. His body was sent home to Belfast, but no details of how or where the crash happened. They had thought that maybe his plane was shot down over the channel.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your comment and sorry for the lateness of my reply.
I always appreciate comments from family members and am very conscious that they are likely to be reading about these events. It’s good that your family have been able to determine the fate of your uncle.
Ian D B
Hi I am wanting to discover the crash site of a Martinet training plane that collided with a Wellington Bomber on the 13th August 1951 over Hudswell Nr Richmond Yorkshire, all but one of nine survived. Can you help.