Mosquito near West Flotmanby.
This incident is a difficult one to record on the internet, its is the only one in the Ryedale area where rumours of their being bodies
still in the aircraft. It needs documenting so their losses are not forgotten but it is a site I do not intend doing any on site investigations.
On the 12th of December 1943 this Mosquito was one of afew carrying out a non-operational flight, this aircraft was
leading the formation when it pitched up in a steep climbing turn without warning,
the aircraft then made a couple of spins before diving into the ground near West Flotmanby, Filey and bursting into flames. The
Unit were warned that their aircraft may be required to fly towards the Danish Coast to meet and provide fighter proctection for a
force of RAF bombers expected to be returning from a raid on Peenemunde in day-light the following day. Not being a day fighter
squadron crew were ordered off in pairs to practice mock combats in readiness. This incident occured during the practice.
The aircraft crashed into marshy ground, this caused the crash investigation team problems which led to the reasons for
the crash not being fully concluded. Much of the aircraft is still said to be in the ground.
The crew of two were sadly killed, though the crash investigation states that the bodies of the crew were not recovered at the
time because of the difficulty in accessing the front end of the buried aircraft. However, as the airmen have graves this suggests
that their bodies were
recovered, perhaps in part, and given burials. Whilst the exact location of the crash site is not yet known by myself I am aware
that a group from the
Filey area were trying to gain permission from the land owner to dig the site, I would suggest the owner was aware of the
probable discovery that would await the group and has blocked their request.
The land has since changed hands but the new
land owner is aware of the probably situation which would occur from such amateur investigations. My own thoughts are the young
men who flew our skies and were sadly
killed doing so all deserve proper Christian burials. In this case they have had burials but if this was not a complete body then
a proper search of the site should be carried out by our MoD. The problem being however the crew have graves, so as far as they
are concerned
there is on need to do a fresh investigation as there are no remains on site. In this case local knowledge is probably true and whilst nothing will probably
ever be done the loss needs recording and ideally a memorial erecting nearby.
The aircraft was built to contract Ctts/a/c/555 by D.H. at Hatfield and delivered new to 25 Sqdn at Church Fenton on 22nd October 1942. It
served with the unit until being written off the incident detailed above with Cat. E2/FA Burnt damage on 12th December 1943.
Although the aircraft had a very long career with 25 Sqdn it had no recorded night-fighter victories.
Pilot - Sqdn Ldr Colin Robertson DFC RAF, aged 26, of Perth. Buried Falkirk Cemetery, Scotland. Husband of Angnes Robertson.
Nav/Rad Op - F/O Ernest Bartholomew RAFVR (145496), aged 28? Of Lower Brynamman. Buried Lower Brynamman Baptist Chapelyard, Glamorgan.
Ernest Bartholomew's grave in his home churchyard. This photograph was found on another website and the credit to it is due to Ms Wendy Edwards.
Sqdn Ldr Robertson was a very experienced Mosquito pilot, at the time of his death he had 365 flying hours on the
type, with a grand total on all aircraft of 1116 flying hours. He became commissioned on the 17th December 1938.
His DFC was gazetted on the 31st May 1940. One source states he served with 41 Sqdn, I believe this not to be the
case.