Wellington B.J. 879 of 26 OTU - Mursley Water Tower, Whaddon Road, Mursley, Buckinghamshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 51° 57.314 W 000° 48.804
30U E 650252 N 5758317
This water tower has a blue plaque in memorial to the crew who lost their lives when their plane crashed into it.
Waymark Code: WM6G8J
Location: Southern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/30/2009
Views: 6
The water tower was built in 1938 and it services the north and central parts of Buckinghamshire. The plane crashed whilst doing training circuits hitting the side of the tower and exploding. Weather was very foggy and after the Wellington tried twice to land making a dangerous and low approach to Little Horwood airfield it crashed killing the entire crew.
Damage to the water tower included blackening of the exterior and distortion of some of the large pipes. Within a week the water tower was repaired and up and running again but the black scars were not removed until a renovation of the tower in 1968.
Anglian Water opened the tower to the public for half a day in 1995 and provided a memorial plaque which we see today. Two families and ten relatives of the aircrew who were killed were contacted and 1,000 local people attended the memorial service and unveiling of the plaque.
The blue plaque reads as follows:
'Mursley Parish Council
In memory of
124612 P/O D.E.J. Bint DFM Pilot
657874 SGT F.B. McHugh Pilot
R96685 SGT J.L.L. Belanger AG. R.C.A.F.
1111948 SGT C.J. Fox WOP/AG.
who lost their lives when Wellington B.J. 879 of 26 OTU crashed into the Water Tower at 00.15 hrs. 11th April 1943.
Dedicated 8th May 1995 to commemorate V.E. Day 1945 - 1995.
Donated by Anglian Water Services Ltd.'
Web Address for Related Web Sites: [Web Link]
Date of Crash: 04/11/1943
Aircraft Model: Wellington B.J. 879 of 26 OTU
Military or Civilian: Military
Tail Number: BJ 879
Cause of Crash:
Fog
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