On 2nd September 1942. A Miles Master II tug (DL425) with a Hotspur glider on tow, which had taken off from No.2 Glider Training School at Weston-on-the-Green was seen to be in trouble by local residents, failing to gain height and heading for the 157 ft spire of St Mary’s church. The pilot of the glider, realising that the tug was about to collide with the spire, cast off. The Master hit the church tower and crashed in flames in Mr Marriott’s garden on the east side of Church Green. The glider landed safely on Cogges Hill, about a mile to the east, and the pilot, having jumped out shaken but unharmed, ran back towards Witney in full flying kit to assist at the crash site. Sadly, the two occupants of the tug, 1332963 Sergeant (Pilot) George Couch of Sutton in Surrey, and 1237828 Leading Aircraftman Victor Rodger of East Ham, died in the conflagration. The top of the spire was missing and the chancel roof had been damaged by falling masonry. I was wondering if an enquiry (or inquests?) would have been held and, if so, was the cause of the accident ever established? The dislodged weather vane can, as a matter of interest, be seen today in the Witney & District Museum.
hello Stanley the 2 casualties below.Im sure a forum member will be able to add more info. Sergeant GEORGE FREDERICK HOBERTON COUCH 1332963, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 19 on 02 September 1942 Son of Frederick William and Edith Isabel Couch, of Sutton. Remembered with honour SOUTH LONDON CREMATORIUM, MITCHAM Leading Aircraftman VICTOR FREDERICK RODGER 1237828, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 19 on 02 September 1942 Son of Robert and May Isobel Rodger, of East Ham. Remembered with honour CITY OF LONDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM, MANOR PARK
Hi Stanley, Welcome to the forum. Regards Peter. Can't really add much more to this apart from the following...... 2 September 1942 2 GTS Master II DL425 Witney, Oxfordshire. The aircraft was towing a glider (Hotspur HH518) on a low level cross country flight, not below 200 feet and to avoid built up areas. It flew into a church steeple which was 165 feet high, and crashed. 'Though Without Anger' - Cummings. COUCH, GEORGE FREDERICK HOBERTON CWGC :: Casualty Details RODGER, VICTOR FREDERICK CWGC :: Casualty Details
Thank you for the prompt replies. We have most of the details, including eye witness accounts, but wondered if a coroner's inquest would have been held on flying training casualties. Also, nobody has ever produced a picture of the damaged spire - perhaps wartime restrictions discouraged people from taking photographs?
Miles Master - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And this is a link to info about the aircraft in which they crashed
Thank you for the prompt replies. We have most of the details, including eye witness accounts, but wondered if a coroner's inquest would have been held on flying training casualties. Also, nobody has ever produced a picture of the damaged spire - perhaps wartime restrictions discouraged people from taking photographs? Hello SCJ, Possibly a silly question but have you tried searching at the Oxfordshire Studies in the Westgate Library? CS Oxfordshire Studies - Oxfordshire County Council
Welcome SCJ, It may be worth you contacting the RAF Museum requesting a copy of the From 1180 for the aircraft involved. Be sure to quote the aircraft type and serial number also date and location of the accident. Contact Department of Research & Information Services - RAF Museum The Form 1180 will, if the museum holds a copy, give you the findings of the accident investigation. Regards, Nick
Don't know if anyone is still monitoring this thread, but I can add an extra little interesting titbit - following the crash and demolition of the top of the spire, my grandmother-in-laws father (a stonemason by trade) was responsible for recarving the top of the spire that was knocked off. Both my grandmother-in-law and her cousin (both still living in Witney) were pictured on top of the recarved stone and have been living off the tale of having 'sat on the top of Witney Church' ever since!!
