Percival Proctor Mk.III HM324 of the Metropolitan Communication Squadron, Transport Command, R.A.F. Crashed near Hargatewall, Buxton on the 5th March 1945

 

Raouil Eugene Clements Serruys Pilot Officer (Belgian) Pilot Killed
Gerard Arthur Lewin Sinclair-Hill OBE Wing Commander Passenger Killed
George James Barnes Flight Lieutenant Passenger Killed

 

The crash occurred while the aircraft was flying in low cloud, records state that the pilot may have been attempting to break through the cloud trying to pinpoint his position when the aircraft struck the top of a hill, the wreck was not discovered for 24 hours due to the poor weather.  The aircraft was based at Hendon in north London, though its destination on the day the crash is unknown.

Wing Commander Sinclair-Hill was buried at Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, below is a photograph of his grave. The other passenger F/Lt Barnes was buried near Birmingham while P/O Serruys was repatriated to Belgium after the end of the war.

Grave of Wing Commander Gerard Arthur Lewin Sinclair-Hill OBE at Botley Cemetery, Oxford

Crash site of Percival Proctor HM324 near Hargatewall, Buxton, Derbyshire
Above is a photograph of where HM324 crashed, the aircraft struck the ground on the opposite side of the wall and came rest against it.
The crash site is on private land an the landowner made it clear when we visited the site that he did not welcome visitors so I would ask anyone who may consider visiting the site not to do so.