On a remote part of Devil's Dyke, Newmarket
Roughly level with the four furlong marker and in a small gap in the Devil's Dike stand this memorial to the crew of a Stirling bomber R9245 AA-N of 75 (New Zealand) Squadron.
Plaque erected to memory of crew of Short Stirling R9245 AA-N of 75 (NZ) Squadron killed on take-off from RAF Newmarket Heath.
The original plaque had disintegrated and a local businessman, Mike Nicholas, sponsored its replacement in 2016.
The replacement plaque, unlike the original, has the details of the crew.
Short Stirling Mk3 R9245, AA-N was delivered to No.75 (New Zealand) Squadron, R.A.F. on 5/10/1942.
On the night of the 16th December 1942 nine Stirling bombers of the Squadron were detailed to undertake a Gardening Op (dropping mines) off Bordeaux.
The surface wind at Newmarket around take off time was fluctuating and tending toward crosswind.
During take-off at 21.45hrs, the first three aircraft swung badly on take off, but this was promptly rectified and they became airborne. The next Stirling due to take off, R9245- AA-N, Piloted by Sgt. Benjamin Franklin, was subjected to the same wind effect causing it to swing dangerously, but Sgt. Franklin kept power on to counter it and continued the take-off attempt. The aircraft became airborne briefly but crashed a mile away from the airfield. Two mines exploded and all the crew were killed. The remaining aircraft, due to take off, were grounded. It was later established that the starboard undercarriage had hit Devil's Dyke (a mound around the perimeter of Newmarket airfield) and broke off the oil tank to the starboard inner engine, causing it to seize and turning the aircraft into the ground.
The crew:
(Pilot) Sgt. Benjamin Allan FRANKLIN, - RNZAF, Buried in Newmarket Cemetery.
(Navigator) Sgt. William Henry WHITCOMBE, - RNZAF, Buried in Newmarket Cemetery.
(Flt Engr) Sgt. William, Joseph LAWRENCE, - RCAF, - in Newmarket Cemetery.
(Air/Bmr) Sgt. Edgar William HARVEY, - RNZAF, - Buried in Lakenham (St. John the Baptist and All Saints) Churchyard.
(W/Op/Air Gnr) Sgt. Harold Rangi WELCH, - RNZAF, - Buried in Newmarket Cemetery.
(Air Gnr) Sgt. Tom PASCOE, RAF, Buried in Ashburton (St. Andrew) Churchyard Extension.
(Air Gnr) Sgt. Eric James BURBRIDGE, RAF, Buried in Wandsworth and Streatham Cemetery, Surrey.
Wartime aircraft crash Memorials During the Second World War hundreds of aircrew were lost in accidents while training, landing, taking off or attempting to get back to their base with a badly damaged aircraft.
By creating this shared description and collecting them into one place I will not only pay tribute to the men who lost their lives in the line of duty but hopefully give some scale to the cost in lives.
These are just the ones who have a memorial; there are hundreds more who have no memorial or were lost at sea. They should not be forgotten. Their lives were equally precious.
In Honour of those who served and in Memory of those who fell.