THAMESIDE AVIATION MUSEUM
COALHOUSE
FORT, EAST TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND.
THE
HOME OF AVIATION ARCHAEOLOGY IN ESSEX
|
THE
FIRST ONE 1974
On the morning of 3rd
September 1940 AT 10.00hrs, A 257 squadron Hurricane,
P3518 took off from Martlesham Heath, Suffolk with Pilot
Officer. Camille Robespierre Bon Seigneur at the controls
TAKEN FROM THE OPERATIONS
RECORD BOOK OF 257 SQDN: FOR THE DAY,3/9/1940.
The
whole squadron took off from MARTLESHAM under the command
of S/Ldr HARKNESS & was involved in a combat with
enermy raiders in the CHELMSFORD area. In the combat P/O
BONSEIGNEUR was shot down and killed after baling out at
INGATESTONE.
- P/O
HUNT was also shot down, he succeeded in baling
out when his cockpit was on fire. He was taken to
BILLERICAY HOSPITAL suffering from severe burns.
- P/O
GRUNDY landed at MARTLESHAM after his port tail
had been shot off by an explosive cannon.
-
- Sgt
NUTTER'S main starboard plane & petrol tank
were shot by explosive cannon of which he
received small splinters in his legs.
Enemy casualties
One Me109 jaguar?
probable; Sgt Fraser
One Me 109 Damaged; P/o
Grundy
Our casualties
P/o BONSEIGNEUR; killed
P/o HUNT; seriously
burned
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-
In
The Picture left to right; Chick Lowing, Unknown, David Campbell,
Robin Hill, Fred Dunn, Colin Wingrave.
THE
DIG ON AUGUST 11TH 1974
On 11th
August 1974, the
then Essex Historical Aircraft Society carried out thier first
major excavation the remains of which are displayed at the
museum.The team on the dig were ; Fred Dunn, Dave Campbell, Roger
Pickett, Robin Hill, Ron Wingrave, Chick Lowin and Colin Wingrave
.
-
- The dig started
at about 8.30 am and at a depth of three feet ( 1mtr )
the smashed remains of the Rolls Royce Merlin came to the
light of day for the first time in thirty four years.
Ravaged by corrosion most of the outer casing had rotted
away. Other finds include the gun fireing button from the
spade grip, engine mounts, Rotol propeller boss and the
makers plate, confirming this as the aircraft flown by
Pilot Officer; Camille Robespierre.Bonsigneur.
The excavation of this Battle
of Britain casualty was completed by 16.30 hrs on the
same day.
- The
picture above taken looking west at the dig in 1974; The
site is now right beside the busy A12 Chelmsford
by-pass,between Margaretting and Galleywood the crash
site only just being missed when the road was built in
the 1980s, 50 mtrs more to the west and it would have
covered a Battle Of Britain crash site for ever. I very
much doubt that people driving past know what history is
a matter of yard's away!
-
COLIN WINGRAVE 99