Vickers Wellington Mk.XIII MF174 of the Empire Air Navigation School crashed on South Barrule on the 22nd December 1944

Vickers Wellington Mk.X at the Royal Air Force Museum

 

Jozef Piasecki Warrant Officer Pilot Killed
Francis R. Riley Flight Lieutenant Co-pilot Killed
Harold Anthony Hartland Flying Officer Navigator Killed
Joseph Cromarty Warrant Officer Wireless Operator / Air Gunner Killed

 

The aircraft had taken off from RAF Shawbury in Shropshire at 11:23 for a navigation exercise.  The aircraft should have returned to Shawbury at around 16:00.  The aircraft reached the island at close to 16:00 crossing the west coast heading in an easterly direction.  Shortly after the aircraft flew into South Barrule killing all those on board.  The aircraft was located the following day by an airman working at a signal station close to South Barrule when he went for a walk.  This same airman had located the B-26 on Cronk ny Arrey Laa in July 1944.

Wreckage scattered about the crash site of Vickers Wellington Mk.XIII MF174 on South Barrule, Isle of Man
Wreckage from the aircraft is quite well scattered on South Barrule with a number of small collections of wreckage.
Wreckage at the crash site of Vickers Wellington Mk.XIII MF175 on South Barrule, Isle of Man
Above is another such collection of wreckage about 30 yards from the previous one.