This incident is well documented in various locations, and whilst not wishing to directly copy these works there is no Internet-based documentary as yet, my write-up should give some basic information into the incident. The crash site was probably one of the most visited sites in the 1960's and 70's because of huge sections of the aircraft which were cut up and left in sink holes at the crash site. Since the MoD begun their Warcop training range activities, access to Mickle Fell is limited as it falls within their fall-out area and technically there are no public footpaths to the summit. Access onto the land is allowed on twelve weekends a year, however since my visit I have learnt that written permsission should be obtained before visiting from the estates who own the land on which the crash fell, as wreckage remains on two estate lands and access could be required on a third for access to the general area visiting Mickle Fell and the crash site appears to be something the land-owners are not keen on.

At 23.05hrs on the 18th October 1944 this aircraft took off from base at Wratting Common, the crew were to undertake their final training flight before being posted to an operational squadron. The cross-country navigation exercise was to be flown at low level, it took them north, past Goole. They were then to have gone further north to Hexham before turning south and back past Gainsborough on the return to their Cambridgeshire base. More or less a straight north by north-westerly route up and flying a similar line back in reverse. As they flew north the weather closed in and north of York fog was widespread. Here they were on course but because of fog at this low level the pilot climbed to find clearer skies, apparently to 4,500ft. It was thought that sometime after this climb the aircraft changed course and flew west of the intended track. For reasons not known the aircraft was later to descend to 2,500ft. At about 01.00hrs whilst flying at this height the aircraft flew into the top of Mickle Fell. It would not appear however to have been flying level at the time. On impact the main part of a wing, the wing which was lower, was torn off, the aircraft continued to cartwheel over the ridge line and crash on the south side of the mountain in an inverted state. (This is assumed because a vertually intact bomb rack was found at the site in the 1960s and had it crashed right way up this would have sustained more serious damage). The rear turret was also thrown off and rolled for some way down the hillside. The main part of the crew who were in the front part of the aircraft stood no chance and almost certainly were all killed in the impact. The tail gunner was thrown out in the impact, he sustained injuries and after realising nothing could be done for his crew mates, he was somehow able to walk south for some two miles for help at probably the closest farm to the crash site at Birkdale Farm and crossed Maizebeck which was probably in full force given the time of year. He eventually was taken to Northallerton's Friarage Hospital where after five weeks he was released and returned to 1651 HCU and saw the war out as a spare gunner and an instructor. His crew were buried in Yorkshire's large Commonwealth Wargraves plot at Harrogate's Stonefall Cemetery.

Pilot - F/Sgt Peter D Young RNZAF (425313), aged 22, of Castor Bay, Auckland, NZ. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row B, Grave 4)

Nav - F/Sgt Neil C Burgess RNZAF (4212641), aged 21, of Karapiro, Auckland, NZ. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row A, Grave 19)

FEng - Sgt Bertram G Davies RAF (1896494), aged 36, of Purley, Surrey. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row B, Grave 1)

AB - F/Sgt John M Stack RNZAF (4213651), aged 27, of Paraparaumu, Wellington, NZ. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row B, Grave 3)

WOp - F/Sgt Rex P Furey RNZAF (428189), aged 21, of Okaiawa, Taranaki, NZ. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row B, Grave 2)

AG - F/Sgt George Child RNZAF (425233), aged 31, of Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, NZ. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (Sec H, Row A, Grave 20)

Rear Gunner - W/O Alan G Small RNZAF, of Takaka, South Island, NZ. Survived.

The RAF's clear up operation was not easy, having recovered the bodies and other salvagable items in severe weather they would abandon the operation on 6th November 1944. The large sections of remaining wreckage were cut up into moveable lumps and pushed into a series of sink holes close to the crash site. These peices would include large complete sections of the aircraft and engines. Here these sections remained for the next 35 years. The interest of aviation archaeology came into being in the 1960s, this crash site became a visited site because of the completeness of the remains. It was probably the most complete aircraft anywhere in the UK at the time. It is known that machine guns, propellers and other easily identified items were recovered from the site and other parts including the vertually complete rear turret later went to museums.

No example of the Stirling aircraft was preserved after the War, what survived would all eventually be scrapped. The RAF's plan was to attempt to rebuild a Stirling and the remains which lay on Mickle Fell would be the back bone to this project. On 31st August 1977 a large team using a helicopter and lorries begun to lift off the remains. Because of bad weather not all was possible on one day. The following day again was poor but more was airlifted off to be transported south but some medium sized peices remained. To this day the RAF have not attempted a rebuild that is known but the sections are still kept in storage. The Dalesman magazine ran a number of peices regarding this recovery in the 1970s, one included a copy of a letter from the survivor. The Stirling Project aim to take up this rebuild project and there is a possibility of them being able to use these already recovered sections in this project. They also plan on recovering other items from Mickle Fell for use in the rebuild which is to be done later in 2007.

The headstones of the aircrew killed in this accident (I will get better ones shortly!). No photographs of the aircrew are known to be in existance.

Probably the largest section of the aircraft left at the crash site, recovered in 1977 (R N Roberts).

One of the pits containing wing sections when the site was visited in 1972 (with Cow Green Reservoir in the back ground) and the rear section again (G Sharpe).

A propeller at the initial impact site on the south side of the hill (the hub of which is still at the crash site), and a rather youthful Mr Graham Sharpe sat in the rear turret in 1972 (G Sharpe).

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Caroline and I visited the site in April 2007 on one of the access days to the MoD area, a visit I wanted to make before the planned recovery of the remaining wreckage.

The remaining wreckage at the site of the first impact on the southern side of Mickle Fell.

A massive main wheel tyre still at the crash site, six feet in diameter.

The secondary impact site, with a view towards Great Dun Fell and Cross Fell beyond, and myself with a peice of armour plating.