New memorial to remember WW2 airmen

Placed upon ground opposite Cannings Hill Garage, a huge forklift was enlisted to delicately place the stone in place.

Bishops Cannings Parish Council hope that the stone will form a lasting memorial to 15 men who lost their lives during the Second World War.

The details of the fatal crashes have been lost to many so, using both local author Rod Pridle and oral reminiscences from older parishioners, parish councillors hope their stories will now live on in peoples' memories.

“It is a really important part of the area’s past that many people do not realise," chairman of Bishops Cannings Parish Council, Eric Clark, said. "This was an idea we have had for a while – we wanted to make a lasting memorial with all their names.”

Dominic Roper of the company Time Circles, which specialises in stone circles, monoliths, memorial stones, helped source the stone and prepare the ground.

He added: “I've been doing this job for 25 years and it's still just as rewarding.

"The stories are always different and, no matter how big or small, the memorials hold huge meaning for people."

The land had to be measured before a hole was dug and prepared for the massive stone, which was sourced from just outside Marlborough.

Once completed with a plinth, the memorial will include the names of 15 men, ranging in ages from 18 to 33, who lost their lives in the plane crashes.

The deaths took place in six incidents, three were related to training, accounting for eleven of the fifteen fatalities.

Dominic, Eric and Leon during the process

One of the incidents took place on February 21, 1940.

Flying Officer Basil Allen Mortimer, 22, was killed when his Hawker Hart, based at the Central Flying School at RAF Upavon, crashed at Harepath Farm, Horton. He was a married man and was buried in Upavon cemetery.

On May 27, 1941 a De Havilland Dragon Rapide from RAF Yatesbury was on a training mission for wireless operators when it stalled and crashed whilst low flying at Easton Hill, Bishop’s Cannings.

All seven on board were killed. These were the civilian pilot, Frederick J. O’Conner aged 23 and six military crew, three wireless operators: Corporal Victor C. Chittock aged 20; AC2 John Booth aged 28 and AC2 Ivor C.

Burgess aged 33. Also, three wireless operators under training: AC2 Frank Billingham aged 19; AC2 Arthur S. Butcher aged 18 and AC2 John Bates aged 24.

Frank Billingham; Arthur Butcher and Victor Chittock were buried at All Saints, Yatesbury. John Booth was buried at Darlington; Ivor Burgess at Blackpool and John Bates at Rotheram.

On September 29 1943, a Wellington Bomber flying from no. 11 Operational Training Unit at RAF Westcott in Buckinghamshire was on a cross-country flight when an engine fire spread to a wing causing a forced landing in a field between Horton and Allington. The fire spread and of the six crew, three injured men subsequently died: Sgt. John Michael Underwood RNZAF aged 33; Sgt. William H. Evans RCAF aged 19; and Sgt.

William James Southern RAFVR aged 22. Underwood and Evans were buried at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath having presumably been treated in hospital there. Southern’s body was buried at his home in Elsmere Port.

And on December 26 1943 a De Havilland Mosquito flying from RAF Ibsley to RAF Colerne crashed into Furze Knoll north of Bishop’s Cannings in bad weather. Both aircrew, the pilot Sub Lt Silas J. R. Madely RN aged 20, and observer Sub Lt Thomas A. M. Hooley RN aged 22 were killed.

Both officers were serving with 151 Squadron which was allocated to night flying, intruder missions. Both were buried in their hometowns of Wednesbury and Over respectively.

On April 7 1944, a USAAF Thunderbolt aircraft from the American 386th Fighter Squadron at RAF Beaulieu in the New forest, piloted by 2nd Lt. Stanley Eugene Fish aged20, became lost in bad weather and crashed on the Knoll between Horton and Allington. Lt. Fish was killed and subsequently buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, New York State.

And, finally, at 3pm on the afternoon of Thursday June 1 1944 a Supermarine Spitfire crashed into School View Bishop’s Cannings killing the pilot, Flying Officer James Russel Campbell who was just 23 years.

The aircraft was from 541 squadron RAF, part of 106 Photo-reconnaissance Group, and was on a transit flight from its base at RAF Benson near Wallingford to RAF St. Eval a Costal Command station in Cornwall. James Russel was subsequently buried in Llandudno.

Eric added: “The young age of all those involved is striking by today’s standards and is for me the most poignant aspect of the background to the memorial exercise.”