Gloster Meteor F. Mk.8 WH383 and WH384 of No.610 (County of Chester) Auxiliary Squadron RAuxAF, flew into high ground at Edgworth near Bolton on the 14th November 1953

Gloster Meteor F. Mk.8 at the RAF Museum, Hendon

 

Anthony Basil Mercer Flight Lieutenant Pilot (WH384) Killed
Arthur Michael Fletcher Flying Officer Pilot (WH383) Killed

 

The two jet aircraft, lead by F/Lt Mercer, a resident of Bolton, had taken off from Hooton Park near Ellesmere Port (now mostly covered by the Vauxhall car plant) on a training flight, the two aircraft were next heard passing over Edgworth which was followed shortly afterwards by a loud explosion.  The pair of aircraft had struck a stone wall near the top of a steep slope and disintegrated spreading wreckage over a wide area while carrying a descent through cloud.  The local newspaper initially reported only a single plane had crashed due to the wreckage from both being mixed together, though this was quickly revised.

Crash site of Gloster Meteor WH383 and WH384 near Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashir
The two aircraft flew into the wall on the left of the photo and ploughed in to the slope on the right.
Crash site of Gloster Meteor WH383 and WH384 near Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashire
This photograph was taken shortly after the crash and shows the remains of one of the Rolls Royce Derwent engines at the crash site.
via Mark Sheldon
Crash site of Gloster Meteor WH383 and WH384 near Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashire
This photo is looking along the wall, wreckage was spread almost to the wall just visible in the centre / right of the photo.