Following on from the article in our last newsletter (no. 65) concerning the collision of the two B26 Marauder aircraft over Tawney Common are details of two aircraft that crashed in Greensted.
3rd September 1940:
Three Hurricane aircraft of 46 Squadron intercepted three aircraft that they identified as German Junkers 88 bombers. They attacked and all three aircraft sustained damaged, one mortally. It was only after delivering the attack that it was realised that a mistake had been made in the heat of battle. The recipients of the attack had been friendly aircraft, three Bristol Blenheim’s from no. 25 Squadron based at North Weald.
One Blenheim (L1401) managed to return to North Weald with only slight damage. Another (L8650) managed to land at Hatfield Heath with heavy damage. It was Blenheim (L1512) that had borne the brunt of the attack. The crew of two were Pilot Officer Douglas William Hogg, RAFVR, aged 23 years, and Sergeant E. Powell, rear gunner.
The combat between friends had occurred over Ongar, and a number of the residents stood outside to watch the battle take place. Mr R
W. Wheelhouse who worked in the flour mill behind the High Street saw the crippled aircraft spin viciously towards the earth out of control. Sergeant Powell managed to escape from the Blenheim over Ongar, eventually landing safely at Castle Farm. Although the aircraft was apparently about to crash within the built up area, it appears that Hogg, in a last supreme effort, managed to wrest some control out of his machine and stop the spin. Although it recovered into a shallow glide it crashed between Ongar and Greensted killing P.O. Hogg.
Pilot Officer Hogg was born in 1917 the son of Thomas and Helen Hogg of Thornliebank, Glasgow. He must have already had some flying experience when he joined the RAF on 1st February 1940 with a direct-entry RAFVR commission as he joined 25 Squadron at Martlesham Heath ten days later.
He is buried in Glasgow (Eastwood) Old and New Cemetery.
23 September 1944
On 23/09/44 582 (PFF) Sqn Lancaster PB512 60-J Took off from Little Staughton airfield, Huntingdonshire, at 10.42., on a fighter affiliation exercise. It was reported to have lost control whilst making a diving turn at 8,000 feet over Ongar and dived into the ground and exploded at Greensted.
Six crew members and one member of the Ground crew were killed.
The crew were:
Flying Officer William Lawrence SHIRLEY, 424529. Royal New Zealand Air Force, aged 22 years.
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
Sergeant Desmond Charles EVANS, 1836534. Flight Engineer, aged 22 years. Son of Illtyd & Blanche Evans of Llantwit Major; husband of Elsie Ellen Evans of Llantwit Major.
Buried: Llantwit Major (Tabernacle) Calvanistic Methodist Chapleyard, Glamorganshire.
Flying Officer Frank David HILL 132036. Navigator. 582 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve., aged 21 years. Son of Frank & Augusta Leticia Hill of West Park, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
Flight Sergeant Duncan Lewis Thomas SMITH 1389708. Air Bomber. 582 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 23 years. Son of William Thomas Smith and Nora Mary Smith, of Snaresbrook.
Buried: City of London Cemetery, Essex.
Flying Officer George John BURCH 159512. 582 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Aged 20 years. Husband of Margaret May Burch, of Tilbury.
Buried: Thurrock (Chadwell St Mary) Cemetery, Essex.
Flight Sergeant Colin James MITCHELL 417981. Royal Australian Air Force, aged 24years. He was a farmer before enlisting. Son of William and Una Myrtle Kerr Mitchell; husband of Aileen Elizabeth Mitchell, of Kyancutta, South Australia.
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. Reference to be found in the Australian War Memorials AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force. Commemorated on the Kyancutta Roll of Honour.
Leading Aircraftman William Arthur George ALSTON 1509278. 582 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Aged 22 years. Son of Arthur William George & Florence Alston; husband of Norah Charlotte Florence Alston of Upper Holloway, London.
Buried: Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
A memorial has been placed in Greensted church to the memory of the crew.