ON THIS morning 80 years ago, residents in Wimborne Road in Moordown woke up to scenes of devastation.

An RAF Handley Page Halifax bomber had taken off from RAF Hurn shortly after 1am on March 21, 1944, but the engine on the bomber failed almost immediately after take-off.

The reasons for the failure are unknown, but the aircraft, which was headed for Morocco, plunged to the ground in the road despite the best efforts of its crew.

The entire seven-man crew, as well as two civilians, died in the crash.

Their lives were remembered today at the memorial to the tragedy on the corner of Wimborne Road and Meadow Court Close, where the plane came down.

Bournemouth Echo: A wreath and flowers were laid on the memorial.Among those who gathered was Susan Chislett, the great-niece of Percy Chislett, who was asleep in his home when the plane crashed.

She said: “I sent off for Percy’s death certificate and I wondered 'how come he died?'

“I contacted an ex-boyfriend who is aviation mad and he found out about the crash.

“Then Russell Barnes wrote the report into it which created awareness of the incident and he was campaigning for something to be done.”

Roger Shore and Janice Cozens are the two remaining members of the Moordown 2010 committee, who worked to build the memorial, which was unveiled in 2011.

Susan has been coming to the memorial for Remembrance Day from Kent, and has uncovered a number of cousins who still live in the town, many of whom were not aware of the tragedy before she made contact.

She said the time of the crash was a sad one for the Chislett family, as her grandfather, Percy’s brother, lost his four-year-old son to meningitis before their mother died on March 8.

“We were a poor family anyway and I found out that the RAF didn’t even pay for a funeral, they put him in a pauper’s plot at Wimborne Road and then in 1973 it was repossessed and somebody else is buried there,” Susan said.

Bournemouth Echo: Susan Chislett with the memorial

Addressing the gathered people at the memorial, Roger paid tribute to those who died.

He thanked former local councillor, Sue Anderson, and former MP David Atkinson for their roles in building the memorial, as both have now sadly died, too.

“The memorial has served as a focal point for our local Remembrance Day commemorations, where we can take the time to remember not only those who lost their lives in this incident, but all those who have suffered, and sadly still suffer, as a result of conflict,” Roger said.

A minute’s silence was held, before a wreath and flowers were laid on the memorial.

Brian Fuller, president of the Winton and Moordown Royal British Legion, was also present and read an excerpt from For the Fallen before the silence.

For more information on the crash, visit www.jp137.com. JP137 is the tail number of the Halifax which crashed. 

Victims of the crash

Civilians

Dorothea Bennett, 59, of Flat 9 Meadow Court, Wimborne Road
Percy Chislett, 49, of 1027 Wimborne Road

RAF Volunteer Reserve

Pilot Sergeant Denis Evans, 20, of Middlesex
Navigator Sgt Henry Roberts, 35, of Gloucestershire
Bomb Aimer Flying Officer Stanley Appleton, 30, of Wembley
Wireless Operator Sgt George Alexander, 23, of Bedford
Flight Engineer Sgt Stanley Gent, 22, of Portslade
Air Gunner Sgt Kenneth Green, 20, of Hull

Royal Canadian Air Force

Air Gunner Sgt Reginald McGregor, 21, of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada