Handley
Page Hampden Mk.I AE381 of 50 Squadron RAF crashed at Cluther Rocks on Kinder 21st
January 1942 in a blizzard. The aircraft had been trying to land at Ringway
after becoming lost and low on fuel on a cross country exercise.
|
Name |
Rank- if applicable |
Position e.g. Pilot |
Status |
|
Royal George Heron |
Sergeant |
Pilot |
Killed |
|
Walter Chantler Williams |
Sergeant |
Navigator |
Killed |
|
William Thomas Tromans |
Sergeant |
Wireless Op./ Air gunner |
Killed |
|
Sydney Albert Peters |
Sergeant |
Air gunner |
Killed |
The crew of AE381 were on a training flight from Skellingthorpe near Lincoln in weather not fit for flying, with high winds and blinding snow. After becoming lost on a night cross country navigation exercise the crew made radio contact with Ringway. They had over flown the airfield along the line of a now disused runway but had not been able to see anything due the snow and darkness, a radio message was sent to the pilot instructing him to turn through 180o to make another pass over the airfield, before this turn could be executed the aircraft flew into the western edge of Kinder where it burst into flames and was totally destroyed.
A photo looking west from the crash site on the edge of Kinder,
One of two small collections of wreckage at the crash site, there
are other
On the 14th February 2004 Mick Peters, nephew of Sidney Peters, placed a slate memorial plaque at the site bearing the details of the aircraft and crew. Below are two photographs showing the plaque.
Below is a photograph of Sidney Peters. Image Copyright Mick Peters.
The photograph below shows Sydney Peters while most likely at an Air Gunners' School since all of the people in the picture are air gunners, he is seated in the middle row on the left hand end. Image copyright Mick Peters.
