When I first visited this crash site the details of what aircraft it was and when it came down were not known.
Most other incidents researched involve a
specific aircraft, with a known serial number, squadron, crew, fate of aircraft, fate of crew, etc, then the crew and
crash site locations are usually researched prior to a site visit. Researching this plane is completely the opposite. All that
was confirmed is that an aircraft crashed at this precise site and that occured before the Second World War
and nothing else was really known. Locals report that the
"two" crew baled out and landed nearby
I was taken to the crash site in December 2004 by Mr Andy
Hunter, who inturn had been shown the site in the 1980s. Not much remains at the site today, a small scattering of
thin glass, some tiny peices of wood and alluminum and a shallow depression in the ground shows where it crashed.
In the 1980s
silver coloured doped fabric was present at the site as well as wooden struts. Mr Ken Ward is
known to have recovered some parts for his collection which it is therefore assumed they are safe, the location of
the other parts is not yet clear. A fuel tank is also reported to be elsewhere although this is yet to be located.
The only aircraft this site could relate to is of a Fury
which "crashed on high ground whilst descending through a layer of cloud" in bad weather whilst on a training
flight from Thornaby on the 2nd of January 1937. The pilot survived the crash, he is not thought to have baled out however. One problem
with it being this specific aircraft, the Fury is listed as damage being Cat R (ie, deemed repairable, or at least initially though to
be before being assessed later and written off). It was
however struck off charge in March 1937 so this repair cannot have been carried out.
Since a sizable amount of wreckage is known to have been left at the site and only removed in the 1980s, there could
be some confusion here. That is not to say that the engine, cockpit
and main fuselage were recovered and the wing sections and other broken sections left at the site.
The aircraft was built to contract 419059/35 by General Aircraft Ltd at Hanworth. It was issued directly to 9 FTS on 24th July 1936.
Pilot - A P/O Bonar Roy Whaley RAF, injured.
Bonar Whaley was made an Acting Pilot Officer on probation on 21st July 1936 for a short service commission, he was posted to
9 FTS at Thornaby on 18th July 1938. Following his incident in January 1937 he was posted to 25 Squadron at Hawkinge on 21st February 1937 and
was made a Pilot Officer on 11th May 1937, Gazetted on 8th June 1937. Bonar Whaley was killed in a flying accident on 25th June 1938 at Holywell, near Folkstone. He was the pilot of a 25 Squadron aircraft with
P/O Charles Connell Law as a passenger. His age and other details are not yet known.
Overview of the site (I picked a bad day for photographs!).
On my visit to the site in December 2004; Andy, John Skinn and myself located one additional peice which contained a part
number and possibly an inspection stamp. The peice being made of stainless steel with the text "H.A.22" in an oval
and the text (upside-down) letter "V" followed by the numbers "24554 1". Is anyone able to work out what aircaft this peice
was off by this number. The peice was about 2 inch by 3 inch big, made of stainless steel about 2mm thick. The "HA22" refers to a Hawker built part.
I have been back to the site a number of times since this first visit, afew other small peices of the aircraft have now been found, another
containing a similar Hawker inspection stamp.
Small peices of wood and metal found in the grass.
The largest peice at the site, the peice is also visable on the site photo in the water in the foreground.
A Thornaby based "Steerman" aircraft is rumoured to have crashed in the "Rosedale Head" area before the War, as it stands
this site is yet to be discovered; if it exists at all. It could be that this "Steerman" and this Fury at Shunner Howe are
the same aircraft and the mystery is solved.....