Bomber Command Memorial Register

Annesley Stirling Memorial

Annesley, Nottinghamshire

Complete Record
Confirmed location?

Location

Annesley, Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire

what3words: ///treetop.mistaken.exclusive

Narrative

By January 1945, the Short Stirling was obsolete as a front-line bomber and was being withdrawn from service. Stirling EH988 of 1661 HCU at RAF Winthorpe was being ferried to Maghaberry in Northern Ireland for scrapping. Squadron Leader Cockbain, an experienced pilot who had been "rested" from operations and posted to Ferry Command, was at the controls. Shortly after takeoff, one of the starboard engines caught fire. Witnesses saw the aircraft begin to turn, the turn becoming increasingly steep. The Stirling entered cloud and went into an uncontrollable diving turn, crashing at Home Farm on the Annesley Park estate near Mansfield. All five crew members were killed. The crash was grimly ironic — these men died not on a bombing raid or training flight, but while delivering a worn-out aircraft to be broken up. The Stirling, with its relatively short wingspan and underpowered engines, was notoriously difficult to fly on asymmetric power when an engine failed — a fatal characteristic that claimed many crews.

Aircraft & Operation Details

Aircraft Type
Stirling
Serial Number
EH988
Squadron
1661 HCU
Station
Winthorpe
Date of Loss
1945-01-14
Operation Type
Training
Cause of Loss
Starboard engine fire; aircraft entered cloud in steep diving turn and crashed

Crew (5 members)

RankNameRoleAgeNationalityFateBurial / Status
S/LdrStephen Legh Cockbain
67707
Pilot28BritishKilled
DFC
Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Plot H/1, Grave 249CWGC
F/SgtT.A. Ball
1874899
Crew20BritishKilledNot confirmed
F/SgtE.C. Barton
1587047
Crew21BritishKilledNot confirmed
SgtK. Harris
1651299
Crew22BritishKilledNot confirmed
SgtJ. Littlemore
2204311
Crew19BritishKilledNot confirmed

About the Crew

S/Ldr Stephen Legh Cockbain(age 28)PilotDFC

Squadron Leader Cockbain held the Distinguished Flying Cross, indicating previous distinguished service on operations. He had been rested from front-line duties and was serving with Ferry Command at 1661 HCU, Winthorpe. He was 28 years old at the time of the crash.

Memorial Details

Type
Stone memorial

Memorial Care

parish council
Organisation
Annesley and Felley Parish Council

Local Contacts

These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.

Hucknall Royal British Legionbritish legion

Local remembrance and memorial support

Annesley and Felley Parish Councilparish council

Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep

Further Reading

TracesOfWar.comRetrieved 2026-03-23

TracesOfWar documents the Annesley Stirling memorial near the crash site of EH988, noting it was erected in the late 1990s by the Stirling Memorial Group.

Memorial erected by Stirling Memorial GroupLocated close to original crash site on Musters Estate

RAF CommandsRetrieved 2026-03-23

RAF Commands archives hold the record of Stirling EH988 from 1661 HCU at Winthorpe, confirming it crashed on 14 January 1945 while being ferried to Northern Ireland for scrapping.

Confirms 1661 HCU WinthorpeAircraft was being ferried to Maghaberry for scrappingTwo engines lost after takeoff

IWM War Memorials RegisterRetrieved 2026-03-23

The Imperial War Museum's War Memorials Register lists the Crew of Stirling EH988 memorial, recording the five casualties: Ball, Barton, Cockbain, Harris, and Littlemore.

IWM memorial reference 26850Lists five named casualties

The IBCC Digital Archive records Squadron Leader Cockbain's loss in the Stirling EH988 crash, linking it to the 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit.

IBCC loss record 205355Confirms S/Ldr Cockbain's DFC

Nottinghamshire Roll of HonourRetrieved 2026-03-23

The Nottinghamshire County Council Roll of Honour records the Annesley 1945 Short Stirling Air Crash war memorial, noting the crash took place on the Annesley Park estate near Mansfield.

Nottinghamshire memorial reference 1977Crash at Home Farm, Annesley Park estate

Hucknall DispatchRetrieved 2026-03-23

Local newspaper article recounting the Annesley crash, noting the aircraft attempted a forced landing at RAF Hucknall after losing two engines but crashed on a wooded ridge on the Musters Estate. Recovered aircraft fragments are held in a casket at Newark Air Museum.

Aircraft tried to reach RAF HucknallCrashed on wooded ridge on Musters EstateFragments stored at Newark Air Museum

Sources

Credits & Acknowledgements

Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Heritage sources
TracesOfWar.com (retrieved 2026-03-23)
RAF Commands (retrieved 2026-03-23)
IWM War Memorials Register (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Nottinghamshire Roll of Honour (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Hucknall Dispatch (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Last updated 2026-03-23

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