Excavations > 2009>

	Stirling, Warwickshire

On 22nd November 1942 Stirling BF333 “R” from 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit took off from Waterbeach airfield in Cambridgeshire.
On that night its crew were:-

Pilot; Sergeant C Easton (RNZAF)
Navigator; Sergeant J B T Williams
Bomb Aimer; Sergeant J Banyer
Wireless Operator; Sergeant L Pattison
Flight Engineer; Sergeant E Kirby
Air Gunner; Sergeant B Jennings
Air Gunner; Sergeant N Hutchins

Julian Evan-Hart takes up the story 20 minutes into the training flight:
For a few minutes now an uneven pitch had been noticed above the usual roar and vibration of the Hercules engines. The controls were not as responsive as usual; even for this huge aircraft. Suddenly there was a dreadful clanking and clattering sound emanating from the starboard inner engine. Following this noise the engine stopped and its propeller blades were feathered to reduce drag. The controls, however, did not improve and if anything proceeded to get heavier. Coupled with this the Stirling was also losing height, unable to maintain airspeed or altitude with the three remaining engines on full power. Once more the controls were all tested and responses were not improving. At this stage they were at 3,000 feet and so the decision was made to abandon the aircraft. All the crew managed to vacate the stricken bomber, baling out over Evesham. All of them escaped serious injury, the worst being a broken tibia (Navigator Sergeant John Williams) the others all having sprains and minor cuts. The abandoned aircraft carried on for a short distance gradually losing height and then flipped over to one side. With the wind shrieking past the feathered blades and open escape hatches the other engines were screaming at full power as the ground approached."

The Stirling crashed at Portobello Farm, near Shipston-on-Stour.

The navigator of Stirling BF333, John Williams, passed away in 2005. Whilst he was recuperating from a badly sprained ankle and a broken tibia as a result of the above incident the other members of his crew returned to RAF Waterbeach. John would never again see his comrades from BF333 again. They were assigned to the operational No. 15 Squadron. On the night of 4-5th May 1943 Sergeant J Banyer, Sergeant L H Patterson and Sergeant W Jennings took for Dortmund in Stirling EF345 coded LS-M. They were hit by AA fire and crashed near Anholt, some 12km WNW from Bocholt. The casualties were buried at Anholt and have since been moved to the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

	Gareth, the land owner and Glyn.
	Organiser Glyn with one of the Hercules engines, which has now been presented to a local museum for display.
	A propeller blade unearthed still with black paint and yellow tip.
	The scene at Portobello Fram during the excavation in August 2009.