Site last updated 1st February 2012

Peak District Air Accident Research

Blenheim Mk.I L1252 coded H of No.34 Squadron crashed on Staple Moss around the head of Hargill Beck to the South East of Mickle Fell in the North Pennines on the 26th October 1938 while on a training flight from RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire.

The aircraft shown above is a Blenheim Mk.IV.

Crew / Passengers	Rank - If Applicable	Position e.g. Pilot	Status
John Owen Sowerbutts	Pilot Officer	Pilot	Killed
William Ashbridge	Aircraftman 1st Class	Fitter 2 / Air Gunner	Killed
Horace Refern	Aircraftman 2nd Class	Wireless Operator / Air Gunner u/t	Killed

The wreckage of the aircraft is spread over a fairly large area with two reasonable collections of pieces.

The collection furthest up the moor has these pieces of undercarriage, a single cylinder, bomb rack and smashed remains of the crew access door.

Above it a photo showing the bomb rack with skinning panels, the single cylinder from the aircraft's Mercury engines can just be seen on the right of the image.

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