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Wednesday 15 February 2012

P-47 42-75584, Birkenhead

On a small bridge on Saughall Massie RD ,Birkenhead is this memorial to the loss of P-47 42-75584!.
The plane was on a pre-delivery flight when it went out of control the plane was reported to be on fire by a witness and to be trying to get down at R.A.F. West Kirby but fell inverted into a field next to the bridge with the loss of Pilot Lieutenant Jay Frederick Simpson !
The site has been excavated in 1974 and remains are at the Perch Rock Museum !

B-24 42-50347, Landican,Birkenhead

On the 18/10/44 B-24 42-50347 was on a flight from Greencastle to Tibenham carrying the crews of 3 B-24' that had been ferried to Greencastle .
The bomber disintegrated above fields over Landican,Birkenhead ,due to a unknown reason but she was a war weary bird and there is the possibility a fuel leak led to an explosion ? The bomber remains fell with the loss of the entire compliment of 24 on fields near the village of landican !
There is on the Dursley Ind est over the other side of the M53 this memorial stone to the lost payed for by local Doug Dorrach, sadly it is well hidden on the estate on a road called Brookway , the plaque also contains the name of J. F. Simpson he was not lost on this plane but in a p-47 not too far away!.
Crew:
Captain William Driscoll-Pilot
1st.Lt.H.W.Olsen-Co-Pilot
1st.Lt.J.P.Hennessey-Navigator
T/Sgt.J.E.Patterson-Engineer
T/Sgt.R.L.Marshall-Radio Operator
Passengers:
Sgt.Joseph L.Arrigotti-R.O.
2nd.Lt.Richard.M.Blake-P
2nd.Lt.Edward.F.Brick-N
T/Sgt.Robert.E.Boyd-E
Sgt.Albert Engasser-E
1st.Lt.Reginald.H.Gehman
1st.Lt.Vincent.P.Hamilton-N
2nd.Lt.George.J.Leary-N
2nd.Lt.Roland.F.Mosher-P
Sgt.Frederick.L.Mootz-RO
Sgt.George.S.Moss-E
2nd.Lt.Stephen.J.Nagy-P
1st.Lt.William.F.Price-N
T/Sgt.Floyd.K.Relyea-RO
Flt.Officer.Roy.W.Sechler-P
Sgt.Clarence.K.Smith-?
2nd.Lt.Clesen.H.Tenney-P
2nd.Lt.Loran.A.Umpleby-N
2nd.Lt.Ralph.G.Wills
.

There may be remains still on site but this is private ground ! Landican is worth a visit just to look over the site of this sad loss of so many young crew and to find the memorial !

HE-111 N0 2989 ,Widnes,Liverpool


Heinkel 111 n0 2989 G1+CP Crashed on the 12/3/41 On this field in Widnes,Liverpool the aircraft had taken part in a raid on the docks at Birkenhead but was intercepted by Hurricane V7752 from 96 Sqn Piloted by Sergeant Robin McNair!
Badly damaged the bomber fell and after contacting with a barrage balloon on Ditton Road crashed in a field next to the old I.C.I recreation ground , McNair just made it back to R.A.F Cranage ,running out of fuel on the runway !
Pilot Karl Single
Observer Wolf Berlin
W/O Xavier Diem
All survived and were captured but,
Gunner Heinrich-Johann Ludwinski
Flight Mechanic / Gunner Leonhard Kuznik
Were lost in the crash!
The site is now a rugby field and there is little chance of any remains given the amount of diggers/magpies that have been here! sad that there is nothing save a small plaque to Sgt McNair [supposedly nearby but I couldn't find it ?] to remind people and as far as I can tell no remains are on show from any of the 'saved for the nation ' finds, again !!.