C-47A Dakota 42-108982 of the 314th TCG crashed on the July 24th 1945 on Shelf Moor to the east of Glossop

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C-47 Dakota

 

George L. Johnson 1st Lieutenant Pilot Killed
Earl W. Burns 1st Lieutenant Co-pilot Killed
Beverly W. Izlar 1st Lieutenant Navigator Killed
Theodore R. McCrocklin Sergeant Crew Chief Killed
Francis M. Maloney Sergeant Radio Operator Killed
Grover R. Alexander Corporal Passenger Killed
John Dunlop Main Leading Aircraftman (RAF) Passenger Killed

 

The aircraft was being flown on a transport flight from airfield B.44 at Poix, to the SW of Amiens, in France to Renfrew. It had stopped at Leicester East and took off from there during the morning of the 24th July and failed to arrive at its destination. On the 26th July the wreckage was discovered by a member of the RAF, who was on leave, when he and his girlfriend were walking on Bleaklow. The crash site was attended by the Mountain Rescue Team from No.28 MU at Hapur Hill and initially they struggled to track down the parent unit of the crew to report the crash to.

The USAAF accident report recorded that the crash probably occurred around 09:00 on the 24th while the aircraft was flying in cloud, which at the time varied between 500 and 1,500ft.

Following the recovery of the victims from the crash site the US crew and passengers were buried in the UK but all would later be re-intered in the United States. Leading Aircraftman Main who was travelling as a passenger to get home to Lanarkshire was buried at Lanark Cemetery.

Grave of Leading Aircraftman John Dunlop Main at Lanark Cemetery
The Main family grave at Lanark Cemetery where LAC Main is buried.
Wreckage at the crash site of Douglas C-47 42-108982 on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
At the point where the aircraft crashed are two collections of wreckage, this being the larger.
In the Summer of 2002 a memorial was placed at this site by a relative of one of the crew, this has since been destroyed, only small pieces of perspex from it now remain.
Undercarriage from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
Between the crash site and the section of fuselage shown below is this undercarriage oleo
Undercarriage from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
Since 2000 the condition of this part has not changed much, though there has been some damage.
Rear fuselage from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
The largest remaining piece is part of the rear fuselage, now badly crushed, though once easily recognisable
Rear fuselage from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
At a site where much has changed since flash flooding and landslides occurred in 2002 this is one of the few pieces to still be more or less as seen previously.
Undercarriage oleo from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
The remains of this undercarriage oleo, once partially buried, now lies in the stream bed.
Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engine from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
Slightly further down Ashton Clough is one of the two Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp engines, the other is about ¼ of a mile down Ashton Clough from this one.
Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engine from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
Lower down the clough is the other Pratt & Whitney engine.
Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engine from Douglas C-47A 42-108982 in Ashton Clough below Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
Currently, only one of the engines is visible, the other was presumably lost in the deposits of one of the land slides.
Accident report photograph showing a Willys Jeep at the crash site of Douglas C-47A 41-108982 on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
A photo from the USAAF report showing the Jeep that the aircraft was carrying.
Thanks to Mike Stowe
Accident report photograph showing the crash site of Douglas C-47A 41-108982 on Shelf Moor, Bleaklow
An general view of the crash site.
Thanks to Mike Stowe