Draft:Downside Air Crash
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| Occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 May 1943 |
| Summary | Military training accident; aircraft crashed into school during low-altitude maneuver |
| Site | Downside School, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IB |
| Operator | Royal Navy (759 Sqn of the Fleet Air Arm) |
| Registration | V6760[1] |
| Flight origin | RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) |
| Destination | Training flight |
| Occupants | 1 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 9 |
| Ground injuries | 14 |
The Downside Air Crash was a fatal air accident that occurred on the afternoon of 15 May 1943 during a Royal Navy training exercise, when a fighter aircraft crashed into a crowd of schoolboys at the cricket field of the Downside School in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England. The crash resulted in the deaths of nine boys aged between 10 and 16 and the 22-year-old pilot of the aircraft, Sub-Lieutenant Alan Cairnhill McCracken of the Royal New Zealand Volunteer Reserve. Fourteen other pupils were injured, including ten seriously.
Incident
[edit]On 15 May 1943, two Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IB fighter aircraft from RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) were conducting a tail-chasing training exercise. One plane was piloted by instructor Sub-Lieutenant J.B. Leeming, while the other was flown by Sub-Lieutenant (A) Alan McCracken, a trainee pilot from New Zealand.[2]
The exercise involved the trainee following the instructor closely, simulating a combat pursuit. Standing instructions required that such exercises be conducted at a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet, unless in areas approved for low-level flight. Downside Abbey and its grounds were not within any such approved area.[2]
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the two aircraft began circling low over Downside School, where a cricket match was underway and a number of pupils were watching. During a sharp turn, McCracken's aircraft lost control, clipped a tree, and crashed into the school's cricket pavilion. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact, striking a group of spectators and causing widespread destruction. The engine separated from the fuselage, traveled roughly 70 yards, and the wings were also thrown clear. The pilot reportedly attempted to bail out, but was unsuccessful; his parachute was found deployed over the wreckage.[3]
Casualties
[edit]Eight boys were killed instantly, with a ninth dying later in hospital. All were students at Downside School, aged between 10 and 16, with some reports specifying 11 to 14. Two of the victims were brothers, one of whom was among the dead and the other seriously injured.[4][5][2][3]
Fourteen other boys sustained injuries, ten of them serious. The pilot, Sub-Lt McCracken, was also killed in the crash.[2]
Aftermath
[edit]In the aftermath, the cricket ground was quickly converted into an improvised triage station. Stretchers were fashioned from available materials, and ambulances were summoned to transport the injured. The surviving pilot, Sub-Lt Leeming, circled the crash site before returning to base after confirming he could not assist.[2]
Parents of the pupils began arriving the next day, seeking news of their children. Messages of support and condolence poured in, including one from Queen Mary, who asked the headmaster to keep her informed of the boys’ recoveries.[3]
The boys who died were buried in a communal grave in the cemetery at Downside Abbey, traditionally used for the burial of its monks.[2]
Legacy
[edit]The Downside Air Crash remains one of the most tragic incidents involving civilian casualties from military aircraft activity in the UK during World War II. In 2018, the 75th anniversary of the crash was commemorated by the local community and Downside School.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 75858". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "This week marks 75 years since horror air crash at Downside School". Somersetlive. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "No victory bells rang out in this quiet little village". Guardian. May 1943.
- ^ "Op een cricketveld nabij Bath is Zaterdag een vliegtuig neergestort". Friesche Courant (in Dutch). 18 May 1943. Retrieved 19 June 2025 – via Delpher.
- ^ "Op cricketveld neergestort". Utrechtsche Courant (in Dutch). 17 May 1943. Retrieved 19 June 2025 – via Delpher.
External links
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