Drumcliffe Road Air Crash Site - Thurnby

World War II

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  • Designed by: Terence C Cartwright
  • Listing Status: Unknown
  • District: Harborough
  • Made by: Herberts Masonry Contractors Ltd Mkt Harb
  • Parish: Thurnby and Bushby
  • Custodian: possibly Leicester City Council

Small metal plaque in brick gatepost. Current plaque dates to 2006, replacing previous plaque. Aircraft left from North Luffenham on fighter affiliation with Spitfire escort, which did not crash. Pilots lost control, causing it to make a vertical dive. A local man, Terence Cartright, witnessed the crash from a roadside bus stop on the A47 adjacent to the nursery/garden centre on the day that it happened in 1945. His testimony is published on the website linked below. In 1994, Mr Cartright approached the RAF Association and Leicester City Council, who, in 1995 approved the fixing of the plaque to the mortars of the bridge. Copies of some of the correspondence were kindly sent to us by Mr Cartwirght's son in 2012.

Gallery
View Further Details Memorial Type:Tablet or Plaque or Board, Plaque Ref: WMP1177 Other Designation: No Notes: The following eye witness testimony was provided by J. Austin, in 2018: 'I was age 7 standing on the mound of our air-raid shelter on the afternoon of 8th April 1945, at no 64 Spencefield Lane, Leicester, watching the Lancaster, with fighter planes diving and weaving around it. The sky was clear and blue. Suddenly with no apparent cause the Lancaster was in a steep dive to the ground (No intermediate stage between level flight and the dive). It struck and immediately a ball of fire rose to what seemed 300 ft in the air'. UKNIWM Ref: 55086 Commissioned By: Terence C Cartwright Custodian: possibly Leicester City Council Verification Required: No Information Sources: RBodycot, C Cartwright 2012 Special Categories: Crash Site Website Links: http://www.wartimeleicestershire.com/pag...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peoplesw...
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.o...

Location

Drumcliffe Road Air Crash Site - Thurnby
Grid Reference: SK6437004845 Get Directions

Inscription Reads

IN MEMORY OF
THE CREW WHO DIED WHEN
RAF LANCASTER ND647 OF 1653 HCU UNIT
CRASHED & EXPLODED 30 YDS LEFT OF THIS SPOT
3.15PM SUNDAY APRIL 8TH 1945
[NAMES]
LEST WE FORGET

Casualties Listing

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Name Rank Unit Batt Died Cook - Norman Flying Officer (pilot) Royal Air Force 08/04/1945 Gore - Gerald Sergeant (air Gunner) Royal Air Force 08/04/1945 Neale - Thomas Flying Officer (Air Bomber) Royal Air Force 08/04/1945 Stanley - James Sergeant (air Gunner) Royal Air Force 08/04/1945 Wingrove - Ralf Wireless Operator Royal Air Force 08/04/1945
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