Upwaltham Lancaster Memorial

Date: 13th February 1944 (Saturday)

Base: RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire

Location: 10 miles N.E. Chichester, Sussex

Pilot: Sqn.Ldr. William Reid Suggitt. DFC J15131. RCAF Age 24. Died of his injuries

Flt.Eng: Flt.Sgt. John Pulford. DFM 652403. RAF Age 24. Killed

Nav: Fg.Off. John Irvine Gordon. DFC 412218. RAAF Age 31. Killed

Air Bmr: Fg.Off. Norman James Davidson. J22514. RCAF Age 23. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg.Off. Stanley George Hall. 411775. RAAF Age 23. Killed

Air Gnr: Flt.Sgt. John Paul Riches. 1390921. RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air Gnr: Fg.Off. John McBride Dempster. DFM J17206. RCAF Age 20. Killed

Passenger: Sqn.Ldr. Thomas Williams Lloyd. DSO 84133 RAFVR Age 52. Killed

Returning from an operation on the Antheor Viaduct, Southern France the aircraft landed at RAF Ford, West Sussex to refuel. It took off at 08:20hrs in low cloud and poor visibility to return to its home base at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. At 08:30hrs the aircraft crashed into a hillside near Duncton, 10 miles NE of Chichester.

The following description of the events surrounding the loss of the aircraft comes from the Sussex Roll of Honour. (Courtesy John Jones):

After making a three hour stopover for a debrief and a meal the crew took off from RAF Ford to continue their journey to RAF Woodhall Spa. The aircraft took off in very poor morning visibility having waited for their passenger Sqn.Ldr. Lloyd, Sqn Intelligence Officer to complete his business. Within five minutes in low cloud they flew into trees at the top of Littleton Down where the aircraft broke up and burst into flames, scattering wreckage over a wide area. The impact and explosion was heard at Littleton and Upwaltham Farms and farmer Phillip Chapman ran to help, together with Fred Denyer (cowman), Henry Privett (Bricklayer), George Scutt (Tractor Driver) and Leading Seaman R J Boyd DSM of Bournmouth who joined them. The first man they saw was Sqn.Ldr. Suggitt the pilot. They found him still strapped to his seat. He was alive although very badly burnt. The five men pulled him out of the cockpit and with oil and ammunition exploding all around them, dragged him to safety on a stretcher made from his parachute. He died in St Richard’s Hospital Chichester on 15th February 1944 from his wounds. Mr Chapman and the men from the valley farms could see several of the crew but they were already dead and the flames and exploding oil and fuel prevented them from getting nearer to the shattered fuselage. The burning fuel had sprayed round the wreckage and they had no idea whether or not there were still bombs on board amongst the widespread devastation. They recovered the body of one crew member before finally beaten back and forced to withdraw by the extreme danger all round them. Mr Chapman and his team, including Leading Seaman Boyd, all whom suffered burns, were later commended fro brave conduct by His Majesty King George VI.

Note: Don Charlwood (wartime RAAF navigator) was a close friend of Johnnie Gordon and refers to his death in his book 'No Moon Tonight' first published in 1956.

In another of his books 'Journeys into Night' he develops the story of the crash a little further and the third edition (2013) refers to the memorial plaque and unveiling ceremony at St. Mary the Virgin church at Upwaltham.

Left: 2nd left Flt.Sgt. Pulford DFM Entering the aircraft of Wg.Cdr Gibson DSO DFM. Right: Debriefing of Wing Commander Guy Gibson's crew after the Dam's operation on the night of the 16/17th May 1943. Flt.Sgt. Pulford is partly hidden on the right of the picture. (both pictures courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

Left: Flt.Sgt Stanley George Hall and 3rd on the left is Flt.Sgt. John Irvine Gordon two of the crew of a Lancaster bomber of 467 Squadron on the 6th May 1943. Right: Sgt. John Gordon on the right, Staffordshire, England 1942. (Both pictures courtesy of the Australian War Museum) Accident report (courtesy LAC Ottawa via David Champion)

The lake in Canada named after Sqn.Ldr. William (Bill) Reid Suggitt. DFC

Flt.Sgt. John Pulford DFM was buried at Hull Northern Cemetery, Yorkshire on the 18th February 1944. Fg.Off. John McBride Dempster, Fg.Off. Norman James Davidson and Plt.Off. John Irvine Gordon were all buried at Coningsby Cemetery, Lincolnshire on the 19th February 1944.

Local remembrance and memorial support

Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep

Imperial War Museums register entry for the Lancaster DV382 crash memorial at Upwaltham, Sussex. Catalogued as memorial reference 106342.

Formally registered memorial in the IWM national war memorials database. Memorial stone at the crash site on Littleton Down.

Account of the memorial dedication at Upwaltham where a Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight performed a flyover. The tiny hamlet of 25 inhabitants raised over 10,500 pounds for the memorial stone.

The hamlet of Upwaltham (population 25) fundraised for the memorial. BBMF Lancaster flyover conducted at the dedication ceremony. F/S Pulford's DFM was gazetted 28 May 1943 for his role in the Dams Raid.

International war sites database entry for the Lancaster DV382 crash site at Upwaltham, documenting the 617 Squadron loss and the memorial location on the South Downs.

Aircraft code KC-J. The crash occurred while departing RAF Ford after an operational landing. S/L Lloyd DSO was a passenger, bringing the total aboard to eight.