AIR CRASH NEAR BERRY EDGE

Can anyone help with a source of Polish casualties in British squadrons. I have recently heard 2 versions of a story about a Spitfire or Hurricane which crashed in Consett,County Durham. The only reason it would be there would be to defend the very large steelworks from German bombers.

I can get no date but the crash site given is in the town centre close to the steelworks. Up to now I can't confirm the crash but one of the stories says that the pilot was "a young Polish boy" and the party of soldiers who attended the scene wanted to shoot him to put him out of his misery because they could not get him out of the burning wreck, but their officer wouldn't allow it and he
died in agony.

There were a lot of RAF Stations within a few minutes flying time of the town and I know there were Poles at Tranwell and Morpeth. I am still trying to prove that the crash occurred but I would appreciate any ideas.

CORRECTION

The "actual" Spitfire crash on South Moor Golf Course has proved to be the Hawker Hurricane L1963 which crashed near Edmondsley on 27th October 1940.  It was obliquely referred to in an eye witness statement to the Polish Wellington R1268 which crashed nearby in December 1940.

INITIAL RESEARCH SUBJECTS

The following are the known crashes:

Fighter bi-plane on 13th March 1918 on Loud Bank, Annfield Plain
Fairey Battle bomber on 3rd August 1940 at Causey
Hurricane on 27th October 1940 near Edmondsley
Wellington bomber on 14th December 1940 at West Edmondsley near Craghead
Hurricane near Consett on 30th August 1941 near Consett
Hurricane on 11th November 1941 near Waskerley

2 Hurricanes in a collision on 12th April 1942; one crashed at Oxhill, the other at South Moor

Gloster Meteor on 25th September 1951 at South Moor golf course

Another known crash was a Spitfire on or near South Moor golf course on an unknown date.

Rumoured crashes were a Free French Lancaster or Wellington in the Leadgate area and a story has recently emerged about a German aircraft shot down somwhere near Harperley Hall; an untrackable rumour says that parts of this aircraft were found on Peters Bank within the last few years.

               

RESEARCH

This is a new blog that I have created specifically to record the details of my research into air crashes in the area near my home.  This is basically around the towns of Stanley and Consett in the North West of County Durham.  This is not intended to be just another WW2 site.  It will include all air crashes whether they be military or civil and wartime or peace time.  Today is just the start, just a basic idea and I hope this blog will grow significantly over the coming months.  I would be grateful to anyone who reads this if you can supply information, photographs, press cuttings, documents etc.  Please also feel free to comment on the blog as it develops.