Fortress ditching at Sheerness, Kent
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Fortress ditching at Sheerness, Kent
Around 1943 a B17 Flying Fortress ditched a hundred yards off shore at Sheerness, Kent. The tail was just visible at high tide and at low tide you could see the complete aircraft which was not badly damaged. It was dragged on to the beach and the wings were cut off to facilitate transport.
I was present as a young lad to watch the cutting operations and got a fright when there was a large explosion and I saw someone being blown off the wing. It may have been cutting equipment igniting a fuel tank. I later nicked numerous "souvenirs" of bits and pieces which I hauled triumphantly home to my grannies house up the road at 65 Alma Rd. My evil grannie tripped over a jagged bit which I had thoughtfully left in the kitchen, and she went ape and I was forced to dispose of the rest of my treasure.
I never forgave her and got my sweet revenge by placing a toy rubber mouse under the sheets on her bed. Spectacular screams were heard and I was sent packing back to my home town of Tonbridge.
I recall seeing a brief article and photo of the scene (The B17 - not my grannie) in a magazine about 7 years ago.
Can anyone supply info on the B17 ditching, please - or where to locate info.
On a similar note, I was a witness (1940) to an Me 109 being shot down in flames at low level by a Spitfire over the village of Cranbrook in Kent. It crashed around 2 miles from Cranbrook. The Spitfire sat steadily 100 yards behind the 109 which appeared to be gliding wings level with the pilot possibly dead at the controls.
The Spitfire would fire short bursts from directly behind the unfortunate 109 with small bursts of flame emanating from the engine of the 109 each time the Spitfire fired.
Where could I find details of this encounter?
I was present as a young lad to watch the cutting operations and got a fright when there was a large explosion and I saw someone being blown off the wing. It may have been cutting equipment igniting a fuel tank. I later nicked numerous "souvenirs" of bits and pieces which I hauled triumphantly home to my grannies house up the road at 65 Alma Rd. My evil grannie tripped over a jagged bit which I had thoughtfully left in the kitchen, and she went ape and I was forced to dispose of the rest of my treasure.
I never forgave her and got my sweet revenge by placing a toy rubber mouse under the sheets on her bed. Spectacular screams were heard and I was sent packing back to my home town of Tonbridge.
I recall seeing a brief article and photo of the scene (The B17 - not my grannie) in a magazine about 7 years ago.
Can anyone supply info on the B17 ditching, please - or where to locate info.
On a similar note, I was a witness (1940) to an Me 109 being shot down in flames at low level by a Spitfire over the village of Cranbrook in Kent. It crashed around 2 miles from Cranbrook. The Spitfire sat steadily 100 yards behind the 109 which appeared to be gliding wings level with the pilot possibly dead at the controls.
The Spitfire would fire short bursts from directly behind the unfortunate 109 with small bursts of flame emanating from the engine of the 109 each time the Spitfire fired.
Where could I find details of this encounter?
Hudson.
I've had a look through this site but haven't been able to spot any reference to Sheerness. You might find it useful though and it could jog your memory about the incident. It would be really helpful if you have any memory of the tail markings. Although the info is only a short reference it may help to start you on some very interesting research! The Spitfire incident is going to be a bit more problematic I'm afraid. I'm sure someone here will have a lead though.
Spiney
http://www.accident-report.com/UK/UK.html
I've had a look through this site but haven't been able to spot any reference to Sheerness. You might find it useful though and it could jog your memory about the incident. It would be really helpful if you have any memory of the tail markings. Although the info is only a short reference it may help to start you on some very interesting research! The Spitfire incident is going to be a bit more problematic I'm afraid. I'm sure someone here will have a lead though.
Spiney
http://www.accident-report.com/UK/UK.html
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Thanks for your replies. I recall a website which was gave details of the Cranbrook Spitfire versus Me 109 incident. I believe the website was www.hawkingewarhistory or something like that.
Unfortunately I mislaid the address. Anyway I'll keep on searching.'
Unfortunately I mislaid the address. Anyway I'll keep on searching.'
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Sheerness B17
Hi!
I was born in Sheerness in 1953 and lived at 23 Clyde Street for many years.
My father remembers the B17 too - just off the coal pier at Bartons Point.
It was featured in FlyPast a couple of years ago - a very good photo of it with some useful referencing points - and I sent my Dad in Minster a cutting of it. It was then made the subject of a feature in the Sheerness Times and Guardian.
My uncle nicked some of the control cable tensioners - he called them 'bottle screws' - and were used to secure a flagpole in the garden of their house in Alma Street.
DO you know anything about the Sparsholt? A dockyard buoy- servicing vessel that hit a mine off sheerness in 1942. I have the clock off it. My uncle found it in the mud along with all sorts of other bits and pieces, alas also the remains of some of the crew.
I remember as a kid, probably in the mid 60's, a chunk of the wreckage being raised by the 'Swin'.
I would like to find a drawing or a picture of the vessel to accompany the clock.
Let me know if you want me to dig up the FlyPast/ STG information on the B17 for you - I dont have it to hand at the moment.
All the best
HP
I was born in Sheerness in 1953 and lived at 23 Clyde Street for many years.
My father remembers the B17 too - just off the coal pier at Bartons Point.
It was featured in FlyPast a couple of years ago - a very good photo of it with some useful referencing points - and I sent my Dad in Minster a cutting of it. It was then made the subject of a feature in the Sheerness Times and Guardian.
My uncle nicked some of the control cable tensioners - he called them 'bottle screws' - and were used to secure a flagpole in the garden of their house in Alma Street.
DO you know anything about the Sparsholt? A dockyard buoy- servicing vessel that hit a mine off sheerness in 1942. I have the clock off it. My uncle found it in the mud along with all sorts of other bits and pieces, alas also the remains of some of the crew.
I remember as a kid, probably in the mid 60's, a chunk of the wreckage being raised by the 'Swin'.
I would like to find a drawing or a picture of the vessel to accompany the clock.
Let me know if you want me to dig up the FlyPast/ STG information on the B17 for you - I dont have it to hand at the moment.
All the best
HP
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Hairyplane. Thanks for the offer. I have the FlyPast mag somewhere and will also contact the Sheerness Times. One of my recollections of those days at Sheerness during the war was the Bofors guns on the promenade banging away at a target towed by a Vultee Vengeance -or maybe it was a Hawker Henley?