大象传媒

On Friday night, 20 April 1944, to get up time spent in the air, Hector Frew (air gunner) and his crew took off on their twenty-third and final training flight with 1657CU from Stradishall, Suffolk before they were due to join No.75 Squadron the following day. This was a long cross-country night flight, which would add to their flying time.

When they returned to land, two motors cut out on the port wing. The wing dropped and the plane crashed head on into the runway at 23.12 hours in front of the control tower. The plane burst into flames as the tail of the plane rose into the air to be whipped backwards with the force of the impact before falling back onto it鈥檚 belly. All of the fuselage forward of the mid-upper turret was demolished and five crewmembers including John Cooper, my uncle, were all killed instantly.

As the tail of the plane whipped backwards, Frank was worried he would be flipped into the fire so attempted to get out of his mid-upper turret but as the plane fell back onto it鈥檚 belly, Frank who was already partly out of his turret, was thrown, smashing the ladder from the turret to the floor of the plane. Everything was on fire but he knew where the plane鈥檚 door was and passed through the flames and jumped out. He expected a six-foot drop but as the plane was on its belly the drop was only six inches so he jarred himself badly as he landed. Despite a suspected fractured forearm, broken teeth and an injured hip, he ran around the plane hoping to rescue any other survivors. At the back of the plane he only found a hole where Hectors rear turret had been. In the force of the impact and as the tail had flipped backwards, Hector and his turret had been thrown some distance away from the plane.

Frank found Hector, still in his turret amongst flames where petrol had spilt. He pulled Hector out of his turret and as he did so, a WAAF returning on her pushbike with friends from a night out stopped to assist. Together they supported him by his shoulders and dragged him away from the plane and flames into long grass before the plane blew up, as there was 2000 gallons of high-octane petrol on board. The WAAF then laid on top of Hector in the long grass to protect him from the exploding ammunition and petrol tanks. Hector had suffered a blow to his head, which had brought his scalp down over his eyes. He was bleeding profusely over his flying suit and the WAAF as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

Meanwhile, Frank had run back to the front of the plane but it was a mass of roaring flames and exploding ammunition so it was impossible to approach. The fire brigade and ambulance arrived which picked up Frank but they were unaware that Hector was in the long grass until Frank told them so they had to go back to find him. The ambulance took them to the stations sick quarters and Hector was later transferred to the RAF hospital at Ely having suffered three crushed vertebrae in his lower spine in addition to the head wound. In the crash, Hectors natural curve in his spine had been knocked straight when the turret hit the ground. Hector was later told that a piece of armour plating that formed the gunners seat had a 鈥渄ish鈥� in it from the force of the descent.

Frank was treated for shock and after a week in the stations sick quarters, he was discharged, put on light duties and given fourteen days sick leave, However, before the fourteen days had elapsed, Frank had to fly again to make sure his nerve hadn鈥檛 gone. It had! But he slowly regained his confidence. Meanwhile, Hector later saw the WAAF again and was able to thank her. She had cleaned her uniform herself though Hector hoped she might have been issued with a new one! After that meeting, she was never seen again. So what happened to her? We don鈥檛 know but I am now trying to find out for Hector as he would dearly love to talk to her again. Hector tells me she had blonde hair and was well spoken but can鈥檛 remember her name. I have sent the story of the accident to UK and New Zealand radio and television.

I was interviewed by 大象传媒 Radio Solent and 大象传媒 Radio Suffolk and recently Hector and I have also been interviewed by National Radio, Radio New Zealand, in the hope that they can also help to trace this WAAF. This is where I need your help. Does anyone know who she is? After a long spell in hospital due to the injuries he had suffered, Hector was re-assigned to ground duties back at Stradishall. Meanwhile, Frank was posted to RAF Oulton in Norfolk flying as an air gunner in American built Fortresses where he experienced further dramatic events and survived 3 more crews.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.