Monument record MLI90697 - Dornier Do 217-M1 Aircraft Crash Site, Legbourne
Summary
Crash site of a Dornier Do 217-M1 bomber aircraft, to the north of Legbourne. The aircraft was designated 56055, and crashed during the Second World War.
Type and Period (3)
- AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE (Second World War - 1944 AD to 1944 AD)
- DO217 (Second World War - 1944 AD to 1944 AD)
- ARTEFACT SCATTER (Second World War - 1944 AD to 1944 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
A German Luftwaffe Dornier 217-M1 crashed on land to the north of Legbourne on the 19th of March 1944. The aircraft was designated 56055 (U5+RL) of 2/KG2 squadron (KG, Kampfgeschwader, was a Luftwaffe organisational unit). It was one of fifty aircraft that had been detailed to attack Hull that night, but was intercepted by a night-fighter of the RAF, a Mosquito Mk XII of 264 Squadron. The Dornier managed to drop its bombs over Kenwick House before it was shot down and crashed at Vicarage Fields near Legbourne at 10:04pm. One of the four crew managed to bail out and was captured; the others did not survive. A partial excavation of the crash site was reportedly conducted in the early 1970s, by the Derbyshire Historical Aviation Society. {1}{2}
The crash site was confirmed in August 2007, after a metal detecting survey revealed an area of magnetic anomalies in this location. A subsequent excavation of the crash site was conducted in September 2007. An area of intense burning was discovered along with an assemblage of artefacts which included corroded metal, parts of the engine of the aircraft, a bomb tail fin, an oil tank filler point and a piece of 'bakelite', authenticating the aircraft's German origins. The aircraft had clearly crashed at a steep angle without sliding and there had been a 'hard' impact. Most of the aluminium was molten or had turned to ash indicating the plane had burnt furiously and extensively. {3}
The three German crew who died in the crash were buried with full military honours by British and Australian aircrew from RAF Manby. {4}
Sources/Archives (4)
- <1> SLI11519 Unpublished Document: Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group. 2007. Project Design for the Proposed Excavation of Dornier 217-M1, 56055. -.
- <2> SLI15183 Website: Bomber County Aviation Resource. 2008->. Bomber County Aviation Resource. http://www.bcar.org.uk/index. 1944 Crash Log.
- <3> SLI12196 Report: Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group. 2008. Report on the Recovery of Dornier Do 217-M1, Werke No. 56055. -.
- <4> SLI15954 Electronic Communication: Brendan Dever. 2017. Correspondence in Regard of a Letter of March 1944, from Flt Sgt Noel Dever, RAAF, an Australian pilot based at RAF Manby.. -.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | TF 364 848 (point) Estimated from sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | LEGBOURNE, EAST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 21 2021 8:35PM
Feedback?
Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.