Vickers Valient XD864 - Crash, August 12, 1960.

I've been keeping a eye out for information relating to the accident that claimed the lives of 5 service men at Spanhoe 50 years ago.

I shall be attending the service on the 15th, also the airfield on the 12th.

The link below relates has very good information but also the forum is very informative too:

www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/267929-v...g-august-1960-a.html

Hi Jerry

Thanks for the link, do you know if this is an existing memorial, new memorial or just a service?

Thanks

The only memorial at Spanhoe is airfields.fotopic.net/p58595576.html although there is nothing relating to Valient XD864, I think there should be, however a memorial service at Harringworth Church will ensure that the crew are not forgotten.

Thanks Jerry, thats what I thought, at least they will be remembered with honour at the service.

I was at the crash site with Stevie on Thursday August 12, 2010 at 10:38, to ensure the crews were not forgotten.

Whilst on the airfield I met the first reporter on site, he had travelled from Kidderminster, and also one of the crew that recovered the aircraft to Polebrook, he'd travelled from Yorkshire.

Whilst on my way back from a work appointment in the afternoon, I recieved a phone call from Simon Wickham, one of the sons of the Captain of the Valiant, Flt Lt Brian Wickham.

Sunday was the Memorial service, Martin and I arrived at Spanhoe about 10:30, and met Simon and also Carol Johnson daughter of the AEO Sergeant Roy Johnson and we visited the site of the crash.

The memorial service was emotional for all concerned, however this was the first chance for the families of the crew to meet and express their thoughts and feelings to each other and also to speak to eye witnesses.

I felt honoured to have met the people I did and hope the crew of Valient XD 864:

Captain - Flight Lieutenant Brian J Wickham,
Co-pilot - F/L W R Howard,
Nav/plotter - F/L Harry G Bullen,
Nav/radar - F/L Johnny Ireson,
AEO - Sgt Roy H Johnson.

will never be forgotten by future generations.

Many thanks to everyone concerned for access to the airfield.

Jerry - tried to PM you but you have exceeded your quota. You are correct that there is currrently no memorial but I assure you that now we "children" have finally found each other we will indeed arrange something. Do you by any chance have the contact details of the gentleman from Yorkshire? I would like to contact him to thank him for coming so far. I will also be in touch with the reporter.

Thank you for taking the photos.

Lynda

(Daughter of Johny Ireson)

Does anyone have a photograph of this aircraft, so far Hendon, Cosford, Wittering, Honnington, and Northholt Air historical branch dont have any photos, BAE Systems have also been tried, so i'm running out of options, please help?

Found one, but can't post because its not my photo, it's on my Facebook though.

Can you e-mail it me mate please as it would be great to finally see it especially after we were there on the exact where it crashed last year on the anniversary? I know it's been a nightmare to find any pics of it. Cheers.

A link to the program for the vliegfeest July 5, 1958

XD 864 displayed along with others, thanks to Jakob for finding this article:

home.tiscali.nl/sberg.sixties/SBFoto-Vliegfeest-1958.html