Crash Wittering Woods sometime 1950s/60s
In 1955 I was 7 years old and living in Bainton a couple of miles ENE of Barnack where I was at school, but not that day (Holidays?). To the rear of our property (roughly north and approximately 300yds away) my elder brother and I saw the unfortunate Valiant flying low and bellowing out smoke to such an extent a crash was almost inevitable. It was flying towards Barnock and possibly our school.
Nothing for it, we ran and jumped on our bikes and rode the two miles or so to Barnack. On arrival we took the road between the village and the "Hills and Holes". Because of the terrain of the Hills and Holes and smoke there was little that could be seen by a 7 year old in that direction, but it was clear that that was where the main part of the wreckage was, although I seem to remember an engine in the music teacher's garden, to the village side of the road. 400 yards further on, SE, beside the road was something hanging in a tree, at which even a 7 year old realised the horror and deceased investigating and just watched the emergency services. Later we were ushered away. More recently, living in the Outer Hebrides, I discussed the event with my next door neighbour, who happened to be doing National Service, based at Wittering, at the time and was probably the person who ushered us away, as he was called out to the crash site. We visited the site together some 10 years ago and he confirmed my recollections. Unfortunately, he has since died so cannot add to the story.
Yes, avoiding Barnack was heroic, as the straight route home would take the plane right over Barnack, but why the black smoke 2 to 3 miles before the crash - perhaps maximum thrust to try and keep height, or an engine fire not recorded. Also how did the engine get in the garden of the music teacher on the edge of the village - was the plane breaking up before hitting the hills and holes? are the questions I was left with. I suspect the plane did cross parts of Barnack, but the Pilot and crew did everything they could to maintain height until they crossed it, including giving up their lives, when all seemed lost 3 miles back and ejection then, perhaps, was their best option - if not Barnack's.
Mungold