Canberra Crash Near Roermond 11 Jun 68

[30mRad]

Evening all,

I'm trying to do some research into a Canberra B(1)8 WT363 crash near Roermond on 11 Jun 68. It was a mid-air with anoth Canberra and apparently the pilot of WT363 was awarded a gallentry award by the Dutch Royal Family.

I've searched thru Google etc and got very limited results, so any info at all would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

30mRad

[hval]

WT363 was a canberra B(1)8. First flown 23/ Nov/ 1956. Delivered to R.A.F. 14/ Jan/ 1957.

She was first utilised by 59 Sqn then was eventually allocated to all the Strike Squadrons in Germany at that time - 59 Sqn, 3 Sqn, 14 Sqn, 16 Sqn, 59 Sqn, 88 Sqn, and then back with 14 Sqn.

When on 14 Sqn, WT363 was in involved in an air-to-air collision with XM278 whilst formation flying. On the 11th of June 1968 WT363 lost its tail and crashed over Roermond, Netherlands. XM278 managed to land at Bruggen. Flt. Lt. G. N. Morris managed to eject. In fact, both crew managed to eject, and both survived.

A photograph is available here (http://www.sg-etuo.de/index.php?n=Main.EDUOCanberras)

edited for additional information

[30mRad]

Thanks Hval. What I'm really after is the cause of the accident and why the pilot got the gong from the Dutch Royal family.

[hval]

Did you know there was another Canberra incident prior to this in 1965 at Roermond. Details as follows: -

from Ron Cummings 'Lost to Service - a summary of accidents to R.A.F. aircraft and losses of personnel, 1959-1996', self published in 1996. Additional details from elsewhere.

14/ Jul/ 1965
Canberra B(I)6 WT324
213 Sqn
Roermond, Netherlands
Engine failure after ingested unknown bird type into engine and spun into ground from a height of approximately 100 metres at a speed of 130 knots.
Flying Officer Thomas Francis CLAPP (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Leslie Dennis DINGLE (Navigator)
Flying Officer Hugh Mands SIME (Navigator)

Both navigators ejected. Both died. Ejection height too low.

213 Sqn was based at Bruggen at this time.

Pilot avoided buildings (so it would seem).

[neel]

On this link you will find more info and pictures about this crash

Maas (http://www.maasniel.nl/Diversen/vliegtuig_crach_1965/vliegtuig_crash_1965.htm)

The source is a newspaper called Maas en Roerbode

regards Dominique

[Old-Duffer]

Hval,

Can I just clarify a point. I thought a B(I)8 only had a single ejection seat and the navigator tumbled out of the door in extremis. Cummings in a later book; "Category Five", says the nav 'baled out', implying aforesaid tumbling.

Please can you confirm there were two ejection seats and was there a 'rumble seat' as well?

T'other thing; it's not 'Ron' Cummings but Colin. I know he's an amiable sort of bloke and you can say what you like about him - BUT - he's very touchy that you get his name right. I shall be seeing him later today and will mention you owe him a pint!!

O-D

[hval]

Old-Duffer,

Whoops; please do apologise to Colin. Pint duly owed.

You are correct that the B(I)8 does/ did only have an ejection seat for the pilot. I should have been more clear in what I wrote. Wrist slapped.


Hval

[foldingwings]

30mRad

Start your research by getting the aircraft type correct:

Canberra B(I)8 rather than B(1)8

Here to help (but never flew Canberras)!

Foldie:ok:

[threeputt]

Typical comment from a QWI!

Did you get my e-mail?

3P:ok:

[30mRad]

Foldingwings

Many thanks for pointing out the slight error in my original post - as it happens the change of 1 to I makes minimal difference to the searches - the important bit of the registration number, location and date seem to do the trick so the request for detail still stands.

3P

Did you mean an email to me or to Foldingwings?!

Many thanks to those who have offered info....

30 mRad

[foldingwings]

3P means me!

Yeah, did you not get my acknowledgement to your request for a Read Receipt!

Foldie:ugh:

Note to self and threeputt - must stop using this sight like Facebook!

One for the Moderators: Why when I write Face book (all as one word) does this site display FacePPRuNe even though it shows Face book (all as one word) in the Preview Post

[reynoldsno1]

Flt. Lt. G. N. Morris

George was later posted to Nimrods (Mk.1's). His recounting of the Canberra incident is actually quite hilarious. He was awarded the gong, ISTR, for avoiding a school. He told me he had absolutely no idea there was a school there as he had his hands pretty full at the time with the flying control responses, or lack of them. He thought it would be churlish to refuse the honour...

A real gentleman, George.

[pitotheat]

I am pretty sure the George Morris you refer to was working as a sim instructor at Kinloss when I left in 2000. I seem to remember him recounting stories of his time on Canberras although I can't remember the details. A splendid chap.

[Thelma Viaduct]

I would be interested to know more about Francis Clapp, he is a relative of mine but sadly died 12 years before I was born. Any information via PM would be greatly appreciated.

[binbrook]

AFAIR WT 363 didn't lose its tail in the collision - just one half of its tailplane - and it went into an undampable phugoid. As has been pointed out the nav had to bale out and George had to leave his ejection very late. A passing PR7 took oblique photos of the mess almost immediately afterwards, and the PIs did some interpreting which put George's chute on the ground only about 910 feet short of the start of the wreckage trail. The seat had come down about 240 feet further on.