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Author Topic: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?  (Read 3104 times)

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Offline ww2ni

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Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« on: January 02, 2016, 09:49:50 PM »

On 19th July 1941 a  Blenheim was involved in a serious crash at Aldergrove.

The aircraft struck a telegraph pole and crashed into the roof of the NAAFI Building  killing some of the girls who worked there and injuring a number of others.

Some wreckage was thrown into a 23 Maintenance Unit Hangar where the Ground Defence Force was drilling and thirteen casualties were sustained including one fatality.

The three crew members of the aircraft were killed along with SIX Girls who worked in the NAAFI and one airman.

Along with the fatalities a further ten Airmen, one of whom being David Comer, four NAAFI Girls and a Civilian Worker were all injured.

I am sure that all that burning aviation fuel would have caused some horrific and indeed probably life changing injuries.

Do any of you folks who work / frequent Aldergrove know if there is any Memorial to all these victims?

Andy
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Offline gadwall58

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2016, 01:51:58 PM »
I don't ever recall seeing a memorial to this or any other wartime crash associated with RAF Aldergrove during my time in and about the base.  Unless there was ever something in an obscure position in on of the buildings I can't help at all.  The graves in the nearby church give no information aside from individual names and dates being the usual war graves type.
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Offline Angry Turnip

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2016, 03:47:32 PM »
It`s been several years since I visited RAF Aldergrove,and I don`t recall anything regarding this crash-as you say someone with recent dealings on site maybe able to help.
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Offline Paultojo

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2016, 04:59:44 PM »
Can't recall ever seeing anything


Paul
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Offline ww2ni

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2016, 03:57:20 PM »
Do any of you guys know if there is an old plan or photograph anywhere showing where the NAAFI building stood at that time?
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Offline Airymouse

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2016, 11:27:07 PM »
In all my time here the NAAFI has been directly opposite the main entrance to "RAF" Aldergrove (across the road from the Wessex gate guardian)
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Offline ww2ni

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2016, 11:14:31 PM »
Thanks.
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Offline Marty White

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Re: Is There A Memorial at Aldergrove To This Tragedy?
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2022, 11:07:35 PM »
I can say for certain that there is no memorial for this tragedy.

A work college told me about this disaster last year. I have done some research and have got some information.
The location of were all six are buried. As well as the four RAF personnel.
On Find My Past there are five or six news paper clippings from local papers at the time.

Last month I started to find out how to go about having a memorial installed. But this information is hard to find. So I made contact with the Wing Commander at Aldergrove and he is all for a memorial to be erected. A meeting will be scheduled at a later date.
An Email was sent to the NAAFI, I received a reply and they are all for it. I have also sent an Email to the War Memorial Trust, but they take six to eight weeks to answer. If anyone has any tips on the installation of a memorial it would be very much appreciated.

The photo is of RAF Aldergrove in 1940.
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