World War 2 Hurricanes on Slight Side, Cumbria
N 54° 26.144 W 003° 13.344
30U E 485574 N 6032026
The wreckage and memorial plaque for two fighter Hurricanes on a training flight in fog by two Polish pilots on 12 August 1941. At an altitude around 700 metres.
Waymark Code: WM172E
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/06/2007
Views: 375
Polish Sergeant Pilot Stanlislaw Karubin was only 25, yet a veteran of the 'Battle of Britain', credited with 7 confirmed victories and awarded the D.F.M. He was the posted to RAF Usworth, near Washington, County Durham, as a flying instructor on Hurricanes in early 1941.
Pilot Officer Zygmund Hohne, 24, had seen service with the Polish Air Force, and had also been posted to RAF Usworth.
They were on a training flight from RAF Usworth. Flying almost due west to the Irish Sea, down the coast, and then back across the country.
They ran into low clouds on Cumberland coast, and dropped down to see where they were, thinking they were still over the sea. Unfortunately they impacted into upper slopes of Slight Side.
This is open fell side with unrestricted access. Look for the cross made from pipes from the wreckage, after crossing Slight Side summit. About 50 metres below the top of the ridge, 150 m to north east of the summit, come down from the saddle. Approaching from below, the cross is silhouetted. Slight Side is only 1.5 km from Scafell summit.
As you wander around the fell side, pieces of old aluminium fuselage and strips of metal are just lying about. The aluminium cylinder head and rusting camshaft are well below the plaque at N 54 26.114 W 03 13.431. Further wreckage is below at N 54 26.130 W 03 13.456
Source Book: Bob Orrell - Lakeland Monuments
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