Plane Crash WW2
This report comes from the Ely Standard, 12th March 1943 and is quoted with permission. Although it is not stated, I was told by an aunt that the striken plane was a Wellington Bomber (and this has since been confirmed). The Coates people killed were relatives of mine. [Sidney Fletcher was my 1st cousin, once removed]. See below for details of the air crew.
PLANE CRASH WIPES OUT VILLAGE FAMILY
All But One of the Crew Also Killed.
In the early hours of Friday an aeroplane crashed into a cottage at Coates, near Whittlesey, reducing it to a heap of rabble and setting it ablaze. The four occupants of the cottage were killed, together with all but one of the plane’s crew.
The victims were: Sidney George Fletcher, aged 39 years; Phyllis Fletcher, aged 27 years; Donald Fletcher, aged four years; Mrs. Marjorie King, aged 23 years.
The house which they occupied stood a short distance west of the village green, on the left-hand side of Eastrea-road going towards Whittlesey. Mr. Fletcher was a garage proprietor, and the garage stands between his house and The Green, also on the left-hand side of the road,
The accident occurred at 02.07 a.m. on Friday. This was the time recorded by one of the villagers, who has an electric clock, which stopped when the plane crashed.
The plane was travelling from a north-easterly direction towards Coates. It first hit a tree on the green on the north side of the main road and passed over a public house which stands on the corner of the green. Travelling diagonally across the main road it crashed through the Fletchers' house and burst into flames. It also demolished some out-buildings at the rear of the next house, which is occupied by people named Freear. The wreckage, or what was left of it. came to rest in a field.
The surviving member of the crew was thrown clear of the plane, but within reach of the flames until he was dragged clear by a 21-year-old aircraftman who was home on leave at Coates. He was commended at the inquest for his work in saving the life of the airman who, it was stated, was still alive on Saturday morning, but was in a very critical condition.
The house is just a mass of bricks and rubble, intermingled with wreckage of the plane. What parts of the walls remain standing are blackened by the fire, and they remind one of a cube of butter which has been cut through by a knife close to ground level. The highest part of the wall is probably about 4 feet. A pitiful sight is a baby's pram, which stood at the back of the wreckage.
The police and the Civil Defence personnel, including the National Fire Service, worked hard for many hours searching the ruins, and great praise is due to them for this yeoman service.
PLANE CRASH WIPES OUT VILLAGE FAMILY
All But One of the Crew Also Killed.
In the early hours of Friday an aeroplane crashed into a cottage at Coates, near Whittlesey, reducing it to a heap of rabble and setting it ablaze. The four occupants of the cottage were killed, together with all but one of the plane’s crew.
The victims were: Sidney George Fletcher, aged 39 years; Phyllis Fletcher, aged 27 years; Donald Fletcher, aged four years; Mrs. Marjorie King, aged 23 years.
The house which they occupied stood a short distance west of the village green, on the left-hand side of Eastrea-road going towards Whittlesey. Mr. Fletcher was a garage proprietor, and the garage stands between his house and The Green, also on the left-hand side of the road,
The accident occurred at 02.07 a.m. on Friday. This was the time recorded by one of the villagers, who has an electric clock, which stopped when the plane crashed.
The plane was travelling from a north-easterly direction towards Coates. It first hit a tree on the green on the north side of the main road and passed over a public house which stands on the corner of the green. Travelling diagonally across the main road it crashed through the Fletchers' house and burst into flames. It also demolished some out-buildings at the rear of the next house, which is occupied by people named Freear. The wreckage, or what was left of it. came to rest in a field.
The surviving member of the crew was thrown clear of the plane, but within reach of the flames until he was dragged clear by a 21-year-old aircraftman who was home on leave at Coates. He was commended at the inquest for his work in saving the life of the airman who, it was stated, was still alive on Saturday morning, but was in a very critical condition.
The house is just a mass of bricks and rubble, intermingled with wreckage of the plane. What parts of the walls remain standing are blackened by the fire, and they remind one of a cube of butter which has been cut through by a knife close to ground level. The highest part of the wall is probably about 4 feet. A pitiful sight is a baby's pram, which stood at the back of the wreckage.
The police and the Civil Defence personnel, including the National Fire Service, worked hard for many hours searching the ruins, and great praise is due to them for this yeoman service.
The grave of Sidney George Fletcher, Phyllis Fletcher,
Donald Fletcher and Mrs. Marjorie King, in Coates Church yard.
Donald Fletcher and Mrs. Marjorie King, in Coates Church yard.
The air crew
On this framed document in Coates church is the following information.
Surviving records show that on 5th March 1943, the crew of Wellington Mark III, serial number BK390, of 29 Operational training Unit, based at RAF North Luffenham Rutland, were tasked with a high and low level bombing exercise. At 02.09 hours after a low level bombing run the aircraft crashed into a village street at Coates near Whittlesey Cambridgeshire. The aircraft burst into flames destroying the aircraft and a house, tragically killing four members of the crew and four civilians, The cause of the crash remains obscure; members of the crew were as follows: |
Pilot (Killed, aged 20) - 1324064 Sgt Kenneth Hughes Long
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in North Luffenham (St. John the Baptist) churchyard Grave 17 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 112357737
Navigator (Killed aged 25) - 1464513 Sgt Thomas Francis John Glover
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in Knowle (SS. John the Baptist, Lawrence and Ann) churchyard Sec. 2. Grave 553 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 94188079
Bomb aimer (Killed aged 21) 1496421 Sgt Donald Coulthard Fisher
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Carlisle (Stanwix) Cemetery Ward 4. Sec. A. Grave 4. [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 59636154
Wireless Operator/Air gunner (Killed aged 20) 1068145 Sgt Brendan Francis Mullett
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in North Luffenham (St. John the Baptist) churchyard Grave 16 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 112368505
Air gunner (Injured) 1372719 Sgt F Macdougal (No information found)
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in North Luffenham (St. John the Baptist) churchyard Grave 17 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 112357737
Navigator (Killed aged 25) - 1464513 Sgt Thomas Francis John Glover
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in Knowle (SS. John the Baptist, Lawrence and Ann) churchyard Sec. 2. Grave 553 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 94188079
Bomb aimer (Killed aged 21) 1496421 Sgt Donald Coulthard Fisher
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Carlisle (Stanwix) Cemetery Ward 4. Sec. A. Grave 4. [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 59636154
Wireless Operator/Air gunner (Killed aged 20) 1068145 Sgt Brendan Francis Mullett
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [CWGC details]
Buried in North Luffenham (St. John the Baptist) churchyard Grave 16 [TWGPP]
Find A Grave Memorial 112368505
Air gunner (Injured) 1372719 Sgt F Macdougal (No information found)