Whitley Mk.V BD295 / UO-N of No.19 OTU crashed on Cawdor Moor near Nairn on the 17th May 1943

 

Raymond Wilson Pitts McFarland DFM Flight Lieutenant Pilot Injured
Kenneth Johnson Sampson Sergeant Pilot Killed
Alexander Chalmers Barrie Flying Officer Navigator Killed
Ronald Hartley Sergeant Air Bomber Killed
Arthur Thomas Hawkins Flight Sergeant Wireless Operator / Air Gunner Killed
Ronald Alfred Hartwell Sergeant Wireless Operator / Air Gunner Died of Injuries 19-5-43
Padley Sergeant Air Gunner Injured

 

Flight Lieutenant McFarland and the trainee crew he was instructor to were on a night cross country navigation and bombing exercise from RAF Kinloss near Forres in Moray on the night of the 16th/17th May 1943. The end of the exercise was to drop practice bombs on a range at Clunas which is the south east of Cawdor.

Wreckage at the crash site of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Cawdor Moor near Inverness
A reasonable number of twisted fragments remain at the crash site. Most of the wreckage is concentrated in this collection though I did find a couple of pieces about 200 yards lower down the moor.

While attempting to locate the range at around 02:00 the aircraft flew into moorland on an unnamed ridge which is on the northern most extent of Carn nan Tri-tighearnan about six miles SSW of Cawdor. The aircraft had been in radio contact with Kinloss at the time and was seen by staff at range to fly over at around 500ft in a southerly direction.

Wreckage at the crash site of Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Carn nan Tri-tighearnan near Nairn
The crash site seen in August 2018.

When nothing further was heard from the aircraft it was declared overdue. At 05:23 a telephone call was received from Sergeant Padley stating that the aircraft had crashed and the crew still at the crash site had been badly injured. He had made his way off the moorland and reached a farm near to Cawdor but was unable to say exactly where the aircraft had crashed.

Wreckage at the crash site of Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Carn nan Tri-tighearnan near Nairn
In the foreground is a panel from one of the engine nacelles, on the panel is stencilled BD295.

Medical staff set out from both Kinloss and RAF Dalcross, which was slightly closer to the crash site, to begin a ground search as well as three Avro Ansons from Kinloss which started an air search. A detachment of RAF Regiment personnel were also drafted in to help with the search.

Wreckage at the crash site of Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Carn nan Tri-tighearnan near Nairn
A closer photograph of the panel bearing BD295.

It was 10:55 before the crash site was located and reached by people on the ground by which time it was found that four of the crew were dead with only two still being alive. They were removed to hospital where one of them, Sergeant Hartwell, subsequently died of his injuries.

Wreckage at the crash site of Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Carn nan Tri-tighearnan near Nairn
Further panels remain at the site, a second one was also stencilled with BD295.
Wreckage at the crash site of Whitley Mk.V BD295 on Carn nan Tri-tighearnan near Nairn
Some of the wreckage remaining at the site.
Grave of Sergeant Ronald Hartley at Kinloss Abbey
The crew who died as a result of the crash were buried at various locations. This is Sergeant Hartley’s grave at Kinloss Abbey, not far outside of the gates of what until recently was RAF Kinloss.