The Wellington lost its entire starboard wing and engine and caught fire immediately. shedding burning wreckage it glided down, skimming rooftops before finally crashing into what is now Heather Cottage in Church Street. The nose was touching the side of the house and the tail rested across the garage roof and adjoining walls. This was the only portion to remain intact. The crew of 6 were killed. the aircraft was not carrying any bombs but ammunition from the 4 Vickers machine guns exploded for some considerable time. The fire was extinguished with chemical foam by the Chipping Norton Fire Brigade assisted by fire crews from the local airfield. The remains of the aircrew were recovered and taken to the mortuary at the Workhouse, now Cotshill. Miraculously there were no civilian casualties, despite the aircraft crashing in a confined space.
The Oxford came down near Over Norton, killing both aircrew aboard.
No cause for the accident could be confirmed, but it was probably due to the darkness of the night, absence of radar, still in early stages of development on board aircraft at the time, and the wartime blackout meant no navigation lights were switched on. Whilst Oxford Trainers were generally painted yellow, many of the Wellingtons used in the training role had seen service as night-bombers and their undersides were painted matt-black to make them a harder target for enemy night fighters. Airspeed Oxfords from 6 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit are pictured below.
The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World. With a normal crew of three the seating could be changed to suit the training role. The cockpit had dual controls and two seats for a pilot and either a navigator or second pilot. The aircraft could be used for training navigators, bomb-aimers, wireless operators, air gunners and camera operators. The Oxford could also be used as an Air Ambulance.
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The Vickers Wellington was a twin-engined long range medium bomber designed at Brooklands in Surrey by Vickers-Armstrong's chief designer R.K. Pierson. It was the mainstay of Bomber Command's World War two night force until the arrival of the four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster.It was the only British bomber to be produced for the entire duration of the war. It served in all theatres of war in anti-submarine, torpedo bombing, mine clearance and training roles. It was well liked by its crews who nicknamed it "Wimpy" after the character in the Popeye cartoons "J. Wellington Wimpy". The Wellington used a geodesic construction method devised by Barnes Wallis and previously used on airships and the single-engined Vickers Wellesley bomber. This gave the fuselage great strength and as the skin was made of Irish linen coated with many layers of "dope" it was lightweight for its size. It could stand a great deal of punishment and many aircraft returned home with the fabric torn away and the geodesic skeleton revealed.
The crew aboard the Airspeed Oxford Mk II T1339 were;
SERGEANT STANLEY EDMUND DOWNS
Pilot Instructor, aged 21. He was the son of Arthur and Gladys Downs of Southall and is buried in Havelock Cemetery, Southall, Middlesex. At the outbreak of war he was working as a radio progress assistant, probably at the Marconi factory, nearby. He enlisted into Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in August 1940. He had completed a tour as a bomber pilot before being rested as an instructor at 6 AFU.
SERGEANT JOHN MacDONALD RANKIN
Sergeant John Rankin, Pilot under instruction, aged 25. He was the son of Donald and Ruby Rankin, of Longueville, New South Wales, Australia and is buried at Little Rissington in St Peter Churchyard. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1941 and trained in Canada before joining 6 AFU.
The crew aboard Vickers Wellington Wellington Mk IC T2557 were;
PILOT OFFICER ALBERT WYNDHAM STILWELL
1st Pilot, aged 21. He was the son of AA and Florence Stilwell of Cardiff. He married Elsie Lyle in Cardiff in November 1940 and enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in Oxford the same month. He is buried in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff.
PILOT OFFICER ALAN MacDONALD HENDERSON
2nd Pilot, aged 30. He was the eldest son of Major Ian Macdonald Henderson and Kathleen Henderson of Woking, Surrey. He was at Charterhouse between 1926 and 1929 and worked for Dennis Bros in Guildford, manufacturers of commercial vehicles. He the Territorial Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders in 1933, and given an emergency commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in July 1940. He served with them until 1941 when transferred to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve to train as a pilot. He is buried in St Peter's Churchyard, Little Rissington.
SERGEANT MALCOLM STEVENSON HAYNES
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, aged 21. He was the son of Evan and Elizabeth Haynes of Whitchurch, Glamorgan and enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in Penarth in May 1940and is buried in St Peter's Churchyard, Little Rissington.
SERGEANT NOEL FRANCIS BOXWELL
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, aged 19. He was the son of Ambrose and Margaret Boxwell of Dublin and had joined the Royal Air Force as a Boy entrant in 1938, later transferring to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He is buried in Drumcondra St George's Burial Ground, County Dublin.
SERGEANT PATRICK O'BRIEN
Observer, aged 27. He was the son of James and Rose O'Brien of Uddingston, Lanarkshire. He had a MA honours degree and is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.
SERGEANT FRANK GILLARD
Air Gunner, aged 20, Air Gunner, aged 20. He was the son of James and Lily Gillard of Hinderwell, Yorkshire and had joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in Padgate in January 1940. He is buried in the Hinderwell churchyard.
"Stan was my big brother , unfortunately - on two counts - he was nearly 9 years older than me, which for one meant he was old enough to serve and die for his country (aged 21) as a pilot during World War II and secondly it meant that I perhaps wasn't as close to him then as I would have been had he lived ; as when you are only 7 or 8 years old , that 9 year gap is much wider than it would have been had I been 20 or 30 . However he wasn’t “alone” growing up as he was close in age to my big sister Eve and they were an inseparable pair , as I was with my younger brother Alan. My one abiding memory was of Stan and one or more of his friends setting off to cycle on his racing bike all the way to Lands End , no mean feat in those pre-motorway days , I can’t remember how long he was gone , but I do remember my Mothers reaction on his return , looking like a tramp having run out of money and been sleeping rough for goodness knows how many nights - he was in the doghouse for some time ! As I have said , he was called up in the June of 1941 , joining the RAF where - because of his academic ability he was taught to fly , and I remember how proud both he , and the rest of my family were , when he was awarded his wings and became 1385092 Sergeant Pilot Stanley Edmund Downs . However that’s when the worrying really starts , knowing that he would have to serve a tour of duty , flying his bomber deep over enemy territory , predominately at night , having to complete 30 separate missions . Imagine what it was like for us and thousands of other families with loved ones serving in the forces , looking for the telegram boy walking down the road , praying he’s not going to come to your door , experiencing that sense of relief when it’s not you , but knowing that some other poor family are going to get the dreaded knock on the door . Stan , however to our great relief completed his tour safely and was posted to the No. 6 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit , based at Little Rissington in Oxfordshire .
He was due home on leave at the weekend of Saturday the 22nd of August , but at 0505 hours on the morning of Friday August the 21st he took off on a training exercise in an Oxford Mark II serial no. T1339 with his pupil Sergeant J McDonald Rankin of the RAAF , shortly afterwards they were in collision with a Wellington serial no. T2557 which was also on a cross country training exercise . The Wellington broke up and crashed on the outskirts of Chipping Norton and my brothers plane crashed onto the land of Cotts farm Over Norton about a mile away , tragically there were no survivors , my brother , his pupil and the six crew of the Wellington all perished . Later that day the knock came at the door and I believe my Mother half expected it to be Stan home on leave early , but this time the telegram boy was stood at our door .
Following recent research into our family tree in general and Stan in particular, we have taken great comfort on discovering that the good people of Chipping Norton saw fit to commemorate this tragic loss of life with a plaque , situated on Church Street , remembering the names of those who lost their lives in this incident."
EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS
"The Oxford disintegrated near Over Norton. The Wellington flew on, on fire, shed the starboard wing over the Castle Mound which made it fly on a left hand circle over the town, losing height until it finally came to rest just short of what is now called Red Robe House (then known as Yew Dell) The occupants of the house, my mother, sister and self plus a family lodging with us called Bainger - he was from Southampton and worked in a munitions factory in the town - miraculously escaped through the kitchen window into Church Street as the garden was a blazing inferno.
When you look at the site today it is hard to believe that an aircraft of that size could fit! The nose was resting against the house wall with the fuselage resting on what was then our coal shed and parallel to the road (Church Street) and the one remaining (port) wing along the garden. It was a hot night and the curtains of an empty bedroom caught fire through the open widow burning out the room but causing no other damage. The tail of the aircraft was only yards from the garage containing two cars (laid up on blocks for the war) which with the garage were also undamaged. The house was called Yew Dell although the yew trees never recovered from the fire. I went to the dedication of the plaque some years ago which was the result of hard work and research by a man (whose name I regret I have forgotten) who was a few years older than me and was staying at the Vicarage opposite for the school holidays at the time and had a lifetimes fascination with this incident, not least the tragic loss of life which he felt should be commemorated" ....John Brigg (writing in 2009)
"On this night I was on Home Guard duty and was ordered down to Church Street to this crash disaster. there was nothing we could do, the plane was on top of the garage well alight. I was in the 3rd Battalion Oxfordshire Home Guard. I attended the plaque unveiling in 1992"....Mr D Brain
"I saw the crash happening on that day, I lived in Shere, Over Norton Rd at that time and was 11 years old. My bedroom was at the rear of the house overlooking what were then fields! I was awoken by a tremendous noise and rushed to the window to see a plane on fire falling towards the church and landing with another crash. I of course know where it fell, on the Doctor's house not the church! I also thought I saw something else falling in the field below what was at that time farm buildings belonging to Mr Warmington one of our local butchers.
My father a member of the Heavy Rescue org, a volunteer got up and went down to the crash site. I was of course ordered to stay in bed!
The next morning in daylight I could see plane wreckage in the field mentioned. I now know of course that the plane on fire was the Wellington and the plane in the field was the Oxford. I saw both sites during the day and walked over to the plane in the field and was told by personnel at the site to go away!
Thought you might like to hear of me seeing it all. I had not remembered the crash until seeing your mention in the paper.
I now live at Ratley and am very much retired being 81 after serving in the army for 35 years and am now a retired Lt Col. Our name at the time was Moore, my father worked at the then Midland Bank as second man and was well known in the town"..... Mike Grinnell-Moore
During his holidays from school, Mr J D Mawson was staying as a guest in, what was then, the original vicarage across the road from Redrobe House. Like everyone else within earshot he was awakened around 4 am by the noise of the crash. Looking out of the window as the aircraft passed very low overhead, he saw burning wreckage dropping in a line which straddled the house. Seconds later the plane finally crashed just across the road. Feeling that the fiftieth anniversary would be an appropriate time to commemorate this event, Mr Mawson started to make enquiries in 1986, contacting the RAF Air Historical Branch in London and the local Coroner to find the details and receiving accounts from local residents.The plaque was created in stove-enamelled cast aluminium by Ward Signs of Barton Hill, Bristol. It was unveiled on the 20th September 1992 by Wing Commander L V Dale (rtd) in the presence of the Mayor of Chipping Norton, and representatives from RAF Little Rissington. The plaque was dedicated by the Vicar of Chipping Norton Parish Church. A contingent of Air Cadets from 136 Squadron ATC were also present and provided a bugler to sound The Last Post and Reveille.
70th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION
Over 100 people gathered at St Mary’s Parish Church in Chipping Norton to mark the 70th Anniversary of the mid-air collision over the town of a Vickers Wellington Bomber and an Oxford Airspeed Trainer in which 8 aircrew lost their lives.
In a short but moving ceremony, organised by the branch, the story of the incident was read by John Grantham, accounts of eyewitnesses by Alec Corfield and Linda de Silva, from The Crown & Cushion, and the poem “High Flight” recited by Steve Kingsford. The service was conducted by the Vicar of St Mary's Canon Stephen Weston with prayers from Canon Robin Howard and a reading from Isaiah 40 by Rev Bernard Rumbold RAF rtd, a blessing and hymns. Fittingly the final hymn was “God is my strength and refuge” to the tune of the “Dambusters”. The memorial was attended, amongst others, by a contingent of serving airmen from RAF Brize Norton lead by Squadron Leader David Marsh. The Royal Australian Air Force was represented by Flight Lt. William Harwood RAAF who subsequently laid a wreath on the grave of Sergeant Rankin at Little Rissington war cemetery. After the service the congregation proceeded to the blue memorial plaque in Church Street for the laying of wreaths followed by a blessing, the Last Post, a minutes silence, Reveille and the Kohima exhortation. Wreaths were laid by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, the Mayor of Chipping Norton, Squadron Leader Dave Marsh on behalf of the RAF, Flight Lieutenant Will Harwood of the Royal Australian Air Force and representatives of the Thames Valley Police, Royal British Legion Chipping Norton Branch and Women's Section and 136 Squadron Air Cadets. Refreshments were then taken at the Crown and Cushion Hotel.
THE 80th ANNIVERSAY OF THE CRASH
On Sunday 21st August 2022, The Royal British Legion, Chipping Norton held a service of Remembrance to mark the 8oth Anniversary of the mid-air collision over the town in 1942. We were delighted to welcome Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Mr Ron Spurs, the families of Pilot Officer Ian Henderson, pilot of the Wellington and of Sergeant Stanley Downs, pilot of the Oxford to the event. Members of the Legion branch, Town Councillors, Reverend Victor Story and Pilot Officer McCann and cadets from 136 (Chipping Norton) Squadron were also present. The commemoration started with the raising of the RAF Ensign on the town's flagpole.
After this we proceeded to the Town War Memorial for the main part of the service. Steve Kingsford, Branch Chairman related the story of the crash then Ron Spurs read out the names of the 8 Aircrew who lost their lives that fateful day.
Cadet Williams from the ATC read the poem "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, a Canadian Pilot, who also died in a mid-air collision in 1941. Two days before the crash, the town lost Private Cyril Barrett of 3 Commando who was killed in action in the Dieppe Raid, the chairman told his story. After prayers, the ode, last post, minutes silence and reveille, wreaths were laid in honour of those who died. Committee member Trevor Hodkinson laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Australian Air For were unable to attend.
Our President Linda laid a wreath in memory of Private Barrett.
By the family of Pilot Officer Ian MacDonald Henderson
The family of Sergeant Stanley Downs
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After the service two paintings by the chairman were presented to the two families of the pilots.
We then went to the Memorial plaque in Church Street where we observed a minutes silence before the Deputy Lieutenant laid a wreath by the plaque. After this we returned to The Crown & Cushion for refreshments, kindly arranged by our President, Linda.
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Trevor and the chairman later met the family of Pilot Officer Ian Henderson met at Little Rissington churchyard, where their relative is buried. After laying a wreath on his grave, we showed them around the beautiful church.
The RAF ensign will be raised on the Town's flagpole every year on 21st August, to mark this and the other 36 airmen who were killed in air crashes in and around Chipping Norton.