The Gillingham and Battle B-26 crashes of June 6, 1944 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. Less then half an hour later another two B-26 from the same squadron suffered the same fate over Battle, Sussex. The 42-107592 of the 584th Squadron collided with the 42-96249 587th Squardon and crashed into Battle. The pilot of the 592 B26 Marauder was the only man to survive -Lt Tommie J Potts. He managed to bail out and his parachute was seen coming down from the direction of Whatlington. Pilots of both the 592 & the 249 were flying on instruments at the time of the accident. Weather at the time was noted to be: Vis 7mi, wind 8 mi, 7/10 Strata Cumulus. Tommie Potts, who survived the crash after bailing out states he lost control of his aircraft while in the overcast. He had felt no distinct jar, as would be in a collision, but that his aircraft kept veering to the left and at one point was on its back. He instructed the Bombardier to jettison bonbs and then gave the signal to abandon the aircraft. The crew had gone to the bomb bay and Tommy, assuming that the Bombardier had left the doors open, waited for a minute, lowered the nose wheel and bailed out. The crew had worked feverishly to dump the high altitude bombs so that they would fall unexploded as the plane neared its crash landing. The 592 crashed at Whatlingon Level and the 249 crashed at Ashburnham Place. They crew had saved many lives by their quick actions to jettison their bomb load. Below was a young teenage, Ian Cheveralls, a messenger for the Civil Defense Air Warden. He was watching the planes flying through the clouds above when the crash occurred. Upon the crash he ran towards the planes and could hear Tommy calling out for his crew. Tommie was the lone surviver, the bodies of the rest of the crew were found in the bomb bay. Tommie retired following the crash, sent home with a Distinguished Flying Cross. He would marry and begin to raise a family. Tommie passed away in 1971. This crash has been memorilized by a plaque put up in Battle at the Royal Legion hall, the dedication reading "THESE AMERICAN AIRMEN GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM" 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 Members of the 42-107592 crew killed this day were: -Sgt George J Kyle -Lt Christian Burger -Lt Leroy A Dyer -Sgt James M Long -Sgt George W Williams The crew of the 42-96249 killed was: -Lt Thomas Jenkins -Walter Winter -Sgt William C Hoeb -Sgt Ralph D Parker -Sgt Boris R. Selinsky -Sgt Edward F Bailey More details including some personal stories from the families can be found at The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944 - Home Also on Facebook: The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944 | Facebook We are building a memorial web site and are looking for anyone who might have information regarding these crashes or the families involved.
This is very interesting to me. My grandmother lived on St Georges Rd. Gillingham which is close the Corporation St.
Hi Lori.o Welcome to the forum and thank you for your post. I had not heard of the incidents described in your well researched site. Regards, Nick
Rav, I see your a Canadian too! I'm headed to Gillingham on October 6th and will be visiting the crash sites for both these accidents. There wasn't a lot of details gathered regrading the Gillingham crash, more was know about the Battle crash, due to the eye witness, Ian Cheveralls who is working with me on this project. I wonder if your grandmother was living there at the time and what she would have known about the accident. Thanks for your comment nicks, its very much appreciated. The web site is far from finished, I need to find the time to work on it more, hopefully find some more families who will contribute their stories.
Gran, and the family, was there all through the war and spent a few nights in the shelter in the back yard. I was born in there(Gillingham, not the shelter ) and my first school was just around the corner on Skinner street(1937?) Enjoy your trip!
Rav, very interesting that you were born in Gillingham! Just wondering if your family ever heard of this other tragedy that happened in that community. This one caused the death of nine children and six adults who perished in a demonstration during the local fair in the Gillingham park. The Gillingham Park Fete Tragedy - Home We are certainly looking forward to our trip and visiting the sites of both of these tragedies.
Lori and all Geoff's Search Engine shows the 4 civilian war dead that day were:- Name: GANDON, GEORGE THOMAS WILLIAM. Initials: G T W Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Civilian Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Age: 45. Date of Death: 06/06/1944 Additional information: of 24 Corporation Road, Gillingham. Son of Richard George and Lucy Gandon, of 59 Medway Road, Gillingham; husband of Edith Victoria Gandon. Injured at 24 Corporation Road; died same day at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: ROCHESTER, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH Name: TAYLOR, JOAN BEATRICE ADA. Initials: J B A Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Civilian Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Age: 18. Date of Death: 06/06/1944 Additional information: of 61 Corporation Road. Daughter of George William Taylor. Died at 61 Corporation Road. Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: GILLINGHAM, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH Name: WHITTINGHAM, FANNY. Initials: F Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Civilian Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Age: 60. Date of Death: 06/06/1944 Additional information: of 61 Corporation Road. Wife of Bertie Richard Whittingham. Died at 61 Corporation Road. Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: GILLINGHAM, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH Name: WILLIAMS, PERCY MONTAGUE. Initials: P M Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Civilian Regiment/Service: Civilian War Dead Age: 59. Date of Death: 06/06/1944 Additional information: of 63 Corporation Road. Died at 63 Corporation Road. Casualty Type: Civilian War Dead Reporting Authority: GILLINGHAM, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH I don't know if you have this info for your website. Hope it helps. When you're over, Gillingham Library may have a local history section with newspaper archives that may provide greater details.
KevinW4, thanks for the information, I do have some but will update what I don't have! Very much appreciated. I'll be sure to check the Gillingham library as well.
