Bushey Whitley Memorial

Could you help us fill in the inscription?

On the night of 2 September 1943, Whitley AD679 of 81 Operational Training Unit departed Sleap at 2015 on a Bullseye exercise — a training flight designed to simulate a bombing raid. The pilot was believed to have been dazzled by searchlights, causing severe evasive manoeuvres that overstressed the mainplanes and caused in-flight structural failure. The aircraft crashed at approximately 2215. All five crew were killed.

Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.

Do you know of any commemorative events or annual services held at this memorial? We would love to hear from local communities who remember.