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WW2 Plane Crash in Oakenhalt Flint
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Message 1.Β
Posted by CDozer (U14970196) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
I am hoping someone might be able to help me out or point me in the right direction.
My uncle served in the RCAF and later RAF during WW2. On 15 Mar 45 around 18:55 hrs the plane he was flying crashed around Oaken Halt Flint. He was then buried in the Chester cemetary.
His records were sent back to Canada and I have recently received a copy from archives which has given me a lot of valuable information about his service. I also have a copy of the RAF accident report but it seems to be missing some info. There is refernce to a crash location but there is not enough info to get the exact site.
Even though his death was over 30 years before I was born and how dumb as it may sound, I can see how his death has made an impact on my life.
I am hoping to visit the UK in ther future and would like to visit the crash site. If anyone has any idea of where it might be or can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated. -
Message 2
Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
The site might have been cleared and built over by now. There may have been something in the local paper but I doubt it as these things were regarded as official secrets and not given much publicity (and of course it happened quite often but to publicise it was thought to be bad for morale)
Here's a link to a site that might help you, you can click on 'Leave a message' ad ask about it. I see it's usually written as 'Oakenholt' now. You can stay nearby too:
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Message 3
Posted by MB (U177470) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
Try asking on this forum, there is a lot of expertise amongst the people there. You will need to register first but worth the effort.
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Message 4
Posted by dmatt47 (U13073434) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
I had the same problem with my uncle who although Scottish flew with the RCAF (418 Squadron, City of Edmonton) until the plane he was in crashed in January 1945. Although the crash was over 60 years ago there were still some pieces of the wreckage and there is a website (which I can't recall) which appears to list and photograph such crash sites (in a dignified manner). If you type the squadron, date, place and if known aircraft type it may come up on an internet search.
418 Squadron did publish a history of their operations with photographs and I expect other Squadrons may have also done the same, veterans' organisations in Canada may also be able to help or advise. The local newspaper may have some information, but due to war-time censorship it may not be too detailed. If he was buried in a war grave then the Commonwealth War Graves Commission may have listed him in the online Debt of Honour database and there may be a photograph of the memorial. It might be worth contacting Cheshire archives/record office for any information they may have and also the cemetery although some places do charge high fees for information.
Have you approached The National., Kew, as they have Squadron and Air Stations War Diaries which will give some information. Finally the local family history society may have some information. -
Message 5
Posted by dmatt47 (U13073434) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
The reference to The National should have read The National Archives, Kew.
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Message 6
Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Sunday, 28th August 2011
You could try contacting these people:
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Message 7
Posted by silvery (U8422462) on Monday, 29th August 2011
The place you're looking for is Oakenholt near to Flint. You wouldn't notice it driving through apart from the roadsign, blink and it's gone.
I don't think there is anything there now re an aircraft crash. Not far away is Sealand which was an aerodrome during the war, and still has RAF offices.
Also close by is Broughton which has a small airfield on the site of what was British Aerospace and is now UK Airbus. -
Message 8
Posted by MB (U177470) on Monday, 29th August 2011
Don't know if you are in Canada or the UK but I think I photographed most of the Canadian war graves in Chester for the Maple Leaf Legacy Project a few years ago.
MB -
Message 9
Posted by MB (U177470) on Monday, 29th August 2011
There are three volumes of Wings Across The Border by Derrick Pratt and Mike Grant. These have a lot of information on the airfields in North Wales and the Northern Marches. If he was stationed at Sealand or any of the airfields in that area then there are lots of photographs of them. They do have details of some crashes but seem to be mainly in the interwar years.
MB -
Message 10
Posted by caissier (U14073060) on Tuesday, 20th September 2011
March 15th 1945 ..... so near to the end of the war.
It is always saddening to hear of someone dying so close to the end of hostilities even if as an accident.
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