Plane crash on Corporation Road, Gillingham, Kent 1944

[Lori.o]

On June 6, 1944 two B-26 Marauder Bombers which were stationed out of  Station No.161 located in Boreham, Essex while on route to a mission the 42-96263 was involved in a mid air collision with the 42-96050 of the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomber Group Medium, IX BC Ninth AF over Gillingham, Kent, England at 5:05 am. The planes were part of a larger group also flying that D-Day on a mission. Poor weather was said to have been the cause of the accident. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as: Vis 7 mi, wind 8 mph, 7/10, light rain. The pilot of the 263 was not flying on instruments at the time of the crash. Heresay testimony of civilians in the vicinity on Gillingham, Kent - as noted on the accident report - indicates that one aircraft was flying around beneath the overcast. The other aircraft came down out of a large black cloud and the two collided. No actual eyewitnesses were found.

The 42-96050 jettisoned some of its bombs then crashed into homes on Corporation Road in Gillingham, killing the entire crew and four civilians. Six homes were demolished. The 42-96263 crashed into an orchard at the East Court Farm in Gillingham, Kent also killing all the crew.


The crew of the 42-96050 was:
-Witcher Terrell Berger
-Ltd Warren D Rodgers
-Sgt Edward H Monaghan
-Sgt George S Knight
-Sgt Alffred M Zussa
-Cpl Forrest W Pafenberg

The 42-96263 Crew was:
-Lt Claude Wallace Kline
-Lt Emil F Ostowsky
-Sgt George S Rogers
-Sgt Raymond F Sablatura
-Sgt Joseph Amato
-Sgt James F Bechtler

The civilians killed in Gillingham were:

Fanny F Whittingham
Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor Neice of Fanny
Percy Montague Williams
George Thomas William Gandon

Less then half an hour later two more planes from the same squadron suffered the same type of accident over Battle, Sussex. 

More details can be found at
http://gillinghamb26crash.weebly.com/index.html

We are building a memorial web page and are looking for anyone who might have information regarding this crash or the families involved.

[Lori.o]

There is also a facebook group for this crash.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116520851721878&ref=ts

[bearkat]

Try searching  www.medway.gov.uk/miln  for marauder bomber.

There ia an eyewitness account from a local paper.  You will need to visit the Medway Archives at Strood to see the article.

[Lori.o]

bearkat,

Thanks for the clue, I have taken a look and wonder if the article they are talking about is the story of Mrs. Rowe who's house was hit by the plane. I have no idea what newspaper this article was from.

http://gillinghamb26crash.weebly.com/mrs-rowes-story.html

BBC WW2 People's War also published the stories of  a Mrs. Burgess and Mrs. Norwood

http://gillinghamb26crash.weebly.com/mrs-f-burgess--mrs-f-norwood-stories.html

I am in contact with the pilot's family of the B-26 which crashed on Corporation Road, they would be most interested in any information we can find. 

[Simon182]

To add some info if interested? My Great Uncle was George Gandon, who was one of the civilians killed in Corporation Rd. His wife Edith Gandon(nee Stafford), was in the same room as George when the house was hit. George heard something, got out of bed whilst Ede stayed in bed. George was killed instantly. Ede was found hanging upside down hanging from the first floor. Ede lived on, but suffered with what today is known as post traumatic stress. Ede moved into her parents house in Court Lodge Rd after the event as the house in Corporation Rd was demolished. My Grandfather was the second youngest of Ede's brothers (11 brothers and sisters).

[Lori.o]

Thank you for that information Simon! It's amazing the connections and  contacts made. One of the civilian's killed, her Grandson lives 15 mins away from me here in Canada!