Crew of Whitley Mk 5 No 1489
2.6 miles away
West Yorkshire
Low Bradley Mk.XI Memorial
Low Bradley, near Skipton, Pennines (North)
Comprehensive Record
The Memorial
It is maintained by Bradley Parish Council.
Type
Stone cairn with tablet inset; wreckage nearby
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Low Bradley, near Skipton, Pennines (North), North Yorkshire
what3words: ///remission.switch.furnish
What Happened
On 22nd September 1943 the crew of a 6 (C)O.T.U. Wellington undertook a training flight, while based at Silloth near Carlisle the flight took them over the Pennine hills. Poor weather over the Pennines saw the aircraft land safely at Skipton on Swale airfield. The Skipton on Swale station orb mentions a 6 (C)O.T.U. making a landing there because of the weather and also because it had a problem with the wireless equipment, this orb recorded the aircraft as being Wellington HE426 and the pilot as being Sgt Ciaston. The crew and aircraft remained overnight at Skipton on Swale. The events surrounding this landing are slightly confusing. An AIB report detailing why Wellington HZ251 would crash on 23rd September 1943 states that HZ251 had also landed at Skipton on Swale on account of poor weather the previous day. The Skipton on Swale orb is very specific in identifying just one Wellington as being just HE426 (HZ251 is not mentioned). The AIB report states that during the morning of 23rd Sep
Community Connection
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.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
Overnight stay at Skipton on Swale(22nd September 1943)
The crew of the Wellington remained overnight at Skipton on Swale after the unplanned landing.
Aircraft & Operation Details
Aircraft Type
Wellington Mk.XI
Serial Number
HZ251
Squadron
6 OTU
Date of Loss
1943-09-23
Crew (8 members)
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Bradley Parish Council
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Skipton Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Bradley Parish Councilparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Peak District Air Accident ResearchRetrieved 2026-03-23
Detailed account of Wellington HZ251's crash on 23 September 1943. The crew had completed a navigation exercise the previous day, landing at RAF Skipton-on-Swale due to poor weather. On departure for their home base at RAF Silloth, the aircraft took a southern route via the Irish Sea coast. Near Skipton the port wing spar failed, the wing detached, and the aircraft crashed near the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Bridge 183.
What you'll find: Explore detailed account of Wellington HZ251's crash on 23 September 1943 at Low Bradley Mk.XI Memorial.
Port wing spar failure caused crashHome station was RAF Silloth, CumbriaLanded at Skipton-on-Swale due to weather on 22 SeptCrashed near Leeds-Liverpool Canal, Bridge 183All seven Polish crew killed
aircrashsites.co.ukRetrieved 2026-03-23
Documentation of the crash site and memorial near Skipton with photographs. HZ251 was built by Vickers Armstrong at Blackpool and taken on charge by 6 (C)OTU on 19 March 1943.
Built by Vickers Armstrong, BlackpoolTaken on charge 19 March 19436 (C)OTU unit
TracesOfWar.comRetrieved 2026-03-23
TracesOfWar entry for the Wellington Mk XI bomber memorial at Low Bradley, documenting its location and commemorative purpose for the Polish crew.
What you'll find: The poignant story of the Low Bradley Mk.XI Memorial dedicated to the brave Polish crew.
All crew were Polish Air ForceMemorial documented on international war heritage site
yorkshire-aircraft.co.ukRetrieved 2026-03-23
Yorkshire Aircraft website entry providing technical and historical details of Wellington HZ251 and the circumstances of the crash near Skipton.
What you'll find: Explore detailed history and technical specs of Low Bradley Mk.XI Memorial on Yorkshire Aircraft website.
Pilot was F/Sgt Franciszek Ciaston PAF
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Peak District Air Accident Research (retrieved 2026-03-23)
aircrashsites.co.uk (retrieved 2026-03-23)
TracesOfWar.com (retrieved 2026-03-23)
yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk (retrieved 2026-03-23)
peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-21
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