The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons · Last edited by spoons on Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:44 pm; edited 2 times in total

WMR 69509
Location is in a Dyke running away from the road (A713) near to Brockloch Tower at OS Map Ref NX 54389 95656.

This was originally posted on the Carsphairn memorial thread by Jamie McGinlay.

As this is not especially easy to find, here is a photo of Brockloch Tower taken from the memorial, so if you get this view, you should be very close.

And Jamie McGinlay’s original pic.

DerekR · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject:

Any ideas what the aircraft was?
Eleven dead suggests that it was a large bomber but how many WW2 bombers carried 11?
_________________

Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject:

spoons · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject:

I am still trying to find out, but there are at least 2 Liberator (B24) crash sites in the area so that is a possibility as well. Don't assume that the 11 were all crew. The Liberator for example had removable canvas seats that could be put into the bomb bay for carrying extra passengers and many wounded were flown back from the continent this way in the later stages of the war - but this is less likely because the crash was in 1951.

I should have mentioned that the pieces of metal below the plaque are remains of the aircraft.

\Paul

dhubthaigh · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:34 am Post subject:

JOHN B. SIMPSON, 24, Cpl. 18091568, Radio Operator, Married, U.S. Res. - Savannah, Georgia.
JOSEPH ALOYSIUS O'LEARY, 33, 1st Lieut A.O. 732056, Plane Commander (Pilot), Married, U.S. Res. - Pullman, Washington.
GEORGE JACQUES HAYDEN, 31, 1st Lieut. A.O. 434850, Navigator, Married, U.S. Res. - Athens, Alabama.
REGINALD Y. RUSSELL, 25, Cpl. 14154155, Boom Operator, Married, U.S. Res. - Atlanta, Georgia.
JOHN R. FINNEGAN, 34, Cpl. 6979895, Scanner, Married, U.S. Res. - New York City.
JACK WILFRED KERN, 27, 1st Lieut. A.O. 678818, Acting Boom Operator (Instructor), Married, U.S. Res. - Savannah, Georgia.
GEORGE MERRIL FOOTE, 31, 1st Lieut., A.O. 678818, Second Pilot, Married, U.S. Res. - North Long Beach, California
TENNANT APPLETON METZ, 30, Captain A.O. 692422, Boom Operator, Married, U.S. Res. - Louisville, Kentucky.
HENRY H. HILL, 26, Tech. Sergt. 1402800, Boom Operator, Married, U.S. Res. - Ochlocknee, Georgia.
WALLACE L. SCOTT, 26, Staff Sergt. 34823844, Boom Operator, Married, U.S. Res. - Tomaston, Georgia.
NOEL MARION POPPOFF, 22, Staff Sergt. 17217973, Flight Engineer, Married, U.S. Res. - Port Wentworth, Texas.

dhubthaigh · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:37 am Post subject:

In the USAF the position of boom operator is a position held by an enlisted aviator, (rank Airman Basic through Chief Master Sergeant) who is responsible for safely and effectively refueling other aircraft while in flight. The official Air Force title for boom operators is "In-Flight Refueling Technician" but this title is usually reserved for formal paperwork such as Air Medals. The name boom operator implies that one "operates a boom" which in the case of a tanker aircraft is a long extendable metal arm that connects two aircraft for fuel transfer.

dhubthaigh · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:38 am Post subject:

For anyone really keen to find out exactly what happened;
http://www.accident-report.com/index.html

spoons · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:57 pm Post subject:

Found the info at last

http://home.att.net/%7Ejbaugher/1944_6.html

Serial 44-83950 Bell-Atlanta B-29B-45-BA Superfortress
Converted to KB-29P. Crashed near Kirkcudbright, Scotland
Jul 7, 1951. 11 on board killed.

(the K in the description denotes tanker so that fits in with boom operators.)

\Paul

DerekR · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:03 pm Post subject:

Well done folks.
_________________

Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

spoons · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:22 pm Post subject:

Details and photos sent to UKNIWM today.

\Paul

spoons · Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 8:34 pm Post subject:

This photo was published in the Galloway News of 26 Nov 2015 on behalf of the Ewart Library Local Studies Department with a request for any information about it. Obviously a photo of the unveiling of this memorial, I have forwarded the information and asked if they subsequently find the date of the unveiling or the dignitaries present, then they let me know.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 12:29 pm Post subject:

At least one of the links posted above seems to be broken but there is detailed information and photos here:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland44-83950.htm
including crash site and crew list, and this summary:
The aircraft had taken off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk at 09:17 (BST) for a Radar Navigation Flight which was to be followed by 4 hours of Air to Air refuelling practice with a Boeing B-50. At 11:03 the aircraft was in contact with the controller at Prestwick, having entered the Scottish Flight Information Region, the pilot reported they were at a altitude of ~14,500ft in visual conditions. Only 7 minutes later the aircraft was seen be witnesses on the ground descending out of cloud at 1,500 to 2,000ft over Carsphairn on a NNW course. They stated that the engines sounded different to the aircraft which normally over-flew the area. The aircraft then turned onto a SE course before stalling and entering a spin from which it did not recover before impacted the ground in a deep gully at the edge of a field. The fuel tanks, containing an estimated 8,000 US Gallons exploded and completely destroyed the aircraft, scattering it over a considerable area.

_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 1:44 pm Post subject:

The only reference to the unveiling that I can find is from the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico (no, really!)
which indicates that the stone was unveiled on 21st September 1952 by Mrs Evelyn McMillan.
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/66897473/

The MacMillans were a noted local family formerly of Brockloch, Carsphairn and latterly of Lamloch, Carsphairn.
_________________
Ken

spoons · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 5:12 pm Post subject:

The grid reference given in the first post is the site of the memorial. The actual crash site is approximately 100 metres further West (away from the road). The B50 which was to receive fuel from the tanker is a re-engine variant of the crashed aircraft and would appear to be the same to an observer.

\Paul

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

This became WMR/UKNIWM memorial 69509 on 23rd February 2016