Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| Memorial Details
|
| Location:
| Dale Golf Course, Lerwick
|
| Structure:
| Brass plaque on a bench
|
| Date Unveiled:
| 1992
|
| War:
| World War 2
|
| Names on Memorial:
| 4
|
| OS Map Reference:
| HU 430 430
|
| UKNIWM No.:
| 8880
|
This bench with a memorial plaque is located at Dale Golf Course, near Lerwick.
The bench was a gift of the Tingwall Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council in 1992, fifty years after the crash.
In March 1942, three Beauforts of the 42nd Sqn. from Leuchars, (L4514, L9825 and W6532), were based at Sumburgh.
At 17.45 on the 20th, all three took off, loaded with torpedoes, heading for an important enemy naval unit which was spotted off the coast of Norway.
They did not find the target and returned.
Close to Shetland they ran into severe icing in the clouds, which affected the carburettors.
L9845 tried to land first, but the pilot had great problems in controlling the plane because of the icing, and it crashed at the side of the airport because it also had faulty brakes. All men survived
Next was W6532, he lost speed as he was about to touch down, landed hard on one wheel, which made the undercarriage collapse, crashed into the flight office and caught fire. The whole crew survived on this one too, but the flight office was totally damaged, because the torpedo which still was onboard exploded.
L4514 lost height because of carburettor icing, and the pilot decided to try to ditch her in Dales Voe, but crashed into the rising ground and caught fire. Three of the crew were killed, and one injured.
The place where it crashed is very near to where this memorial is placed, beside a small training area on Dale Golf Course.
The only surviver was Sgt. W. H. Bond (A/G), RAF, who had serious injuries and was admitted to the Gilbert Bain Hospital.
The names of the dead crewmembers were:
- P/O Tom Thornley Braithwaite Stoker (Pilot), RCAF
|
- Sgt. Norman Arthur Branchflower (Navigator), RAF
|
- Sgt. A. J. Wolsley (WOP/AG), RAF
|
