A further Brigand crash occurred in May 1952. The aircraft was carrying a French airforce Navigator, pilot and instructor. My father was the instructor. On finals the pilot activated the engine fire extinguishers which were designed to fire automatically in the case of an impact. Both extinguishers fired on activation, both engines stopped and the aircraft fell from about 250 feet. Luckily no one was seriously hurt. I have a couple of pieces of one of the propellor's.
As for the other Brigand crashes the one in '52 resulted in fatalities to all on board whilst the one in '56 killed the pilot and Navigator but 2 Fleet Air Arm student's in the back survived.
. .On a slightly different topic concerning Colerne, when the resident night fighter units withdrew and moved to Leeming some time in the 50's the departing crews spent the last few days visiting various hostelries in the surrounding area and Bath. They told anyone who was interested that they were the new Transport Command crews just arrived. Such was the level of behaviour that when the real Transport Command crews arrived a few days later they, somewhat to their surprise, found themselves barred from most of said establishments.