Airspeed Oxford Mk.I BG197 of 14 (P)AFU crashed near Matlock on the 3rd March 1943 while on a night cross country flight from Ossington near Newark on Trent

Airspeed Oxford

 

George Howard McIlraith RNZAF Sergeant Pilot Killed

 

On the 3rd March 1943 Sgt George McIlraith of the Royal New Zealand Air Force took off on a night cross country flight from Ossington near Newark on Trent. At some point during the flight he apparently became disorientated and descended too low, shortly after he flew into a wooded hillside near Matlock. Interestingly to crash where he did Sgt McIlraith must have been flying east, which is back towards where he took off from.

Crash site of Airspeed Oxford BG197 near Matlock, Derbyshire
This is the crash site near Matlock, there are a few small parts from the aircraft at the site but nothing else.
Grave of Sergeant George Howard McIlraith at Ashbourne, killed in Airspeed Oxford BG197 near Matlock, Derbyshire
Sergeant McIlraith was buried at Ashbourne cemetery, above is his headstone.