According to Chorley's.

NTU Lancaster III PB 669 Training

T/O Warboys borrowed by 156 squadron and crashed at 1430 at Old Weston,about i mile E of Molesworth airfield,Northamptonshire.
All are buried in cemeteries across Britain.
F/O Pile & F/L Robertson had served previously with 166 Sqdn. and 97 Sqdn.,their DFM's being Gazetted on 19th Sept. 1944 and 11th June 1943.
Crew
F/L A C Diemer MID
F/O KL Pile DFM
F/L B C Brooker DFC & Bar
F/L A M Stewart
F/LJ Robertson DFM
F/O C A Robson
F/S D W Kidd
W/O S Oldfield

Is this the one?

What a sad story!
Yes F/L Alistair Mackickon Stewart is buried in Greenock Cemetery,it says "Special memorial" so might well be in a family plot.
No parents or other details listed on CWG.

Stumbled upon this thread purely by chance.My father-Bernard C Brooker was navigational instructor on this sad flight.I have tried to find any surviving relatives of the other crew members with little luck,The PFF Museum at Warboys also tried to trace relatives when the crash site was excavated in the late 1990's.I would be interested if any info is available out there.I was very touched that people are still showing an interest after 67 years!

Paulh... yes he was bomber aimer with 35 Sqdn.Archy Hardy (Canadian) was his pilot on many missions. My father became a navigator and was awarded his PFF badge in March 1945.I was not born until July 1945 so I have had to spend some time over the last 30 years finding out as much as I could on his short life,my mother told me very little about him,.but in those years one would live for the day.Where do you get the info on the sqdn crews??mickybee

I am researching my family history and can confirm that a relative of mine was on board PB669 and was killed when it crashed on 11th March 1945. I am applying for the personal service record held at RAF Cranwell (it takes up to 20 weeks to obtain). I may be able to provide more information then.

Thanks for responding.

I am aware of some of the details of PB336 crash in 1944. Sadly they may not be entirely helpful to me at the moment but thanks very much for the offer.

My relative was on board Lancaster PB669  and was killed when it crashed near Molesworth on 11th March 1945 having taken off on a training sortie from RAF Warboys. 

Thanks . . . no need to apologise though. I was pleased that someone (i.e. you) had responded.

I am fairly, (well very, actually,) new at this kind of research and esp. using web forums. I only discovered this one more or less by accident. The comments made by Matt and Linda in this "string" on 3rd Feb 2009 are the ones I would most like to explore - but of course, their postings were made over 4 years ago and I do not know how I can contact them to pursue the matter.

I was intrigued to see that you say you live fairly close to the crash site of PB336. Coincidentally, I live not very far from the crash site of PB669!

I recieved a emailled link to you about PB669.My father was navigator on board that morning.When the Pathfinder Museum at RAF Wyton undertook a exavation at the crash site in the 90's they did advertise if any family members of the crew could come forward at that time,unfortunately, I did not find out about this until sometime later.I have,however. paid visits to this museum and would recommend it to anybody interested in WW2 PFF.The details of the crash are quite well known,icing on the wings being the probable cause.The details of the crew are pretty hard to come by apart from Name,Rank& Number.I obviously know a lot about my own fathers service,which being next of kin I was able to access his service record and get further info from other surviving RAF crew from 35 Sdrn.I had correspondence with his crew pilot Archie Hardy in Canada and met his tail gunner of many trips Robert Gill (a mavellous,kind and unassuming man) who is still alive and appeared in the most recent documentary.."Bomber Crew".or was it "Bomber Command".The only other "relative" from the crash crew was the son of the pilots first wife.She obviously married again but did not say much.I found the PFF badge of Flt.Lt.Diemer on a website in the USA it had been purchased privately from his estate.My father was awarded his PFF badge on 11/4/45!I still have the letter but no badge .I hope this waffle has been of interest and I would be interested to know if you have found any other relatives. 

The relative of mine that was on board PB669 was F/O C A (Clifford) Robson, who was the W.Op and without going into the intricacies of the family tree is (was) - so I have found out - a "Great Uncle." (My ancestors go back up one branch of the family tree and his, the other branch, to a common blood relative).  I am in the process of applying to RAF Cranwell, Disclosures for his Personal Service Record. I have also established where he and other immediate family members lived up to, and for some time afterwards, beyond his death. I have made enquires to find out if any, (or descendants), remain alive. I am also going to contact RAF Northolt where I am told I may be able to get of hold of his "casualty" file.

I have discovered some of the general details surrounding the crash but possible/confirmed cause(s) I have not yet established. I believe that they were in the process of "testing" some particular piece(s) of equipment - (details not specified). This perhaps explains why some records say there were eight personnel on board the flight, (two navigators??) one of whom may been recorded as "expert demonstrator" and that it has been stated that the aircraft was "borrowed."

Any further information, especially relating to what was being tested and sources which confirm circumstances of the loss would be very much welcomed. (I note the comment from mick b re: "ice on the wings" a probable cause).

At this point, I have to record my thanks to paul h for the information and help he has given me in respect of posts on this web forum.

 

Paulie,

there MAY be a discrepancy with the servicve number quoted for CA Robson.

Looking at the Llondon Gazette I have found

issue 7/9/43 p3975

f/sgt to P/O on prob 552509 Clifford Allan Robson 52695 30/5/1943

and

issue10/12/43 p 5382

P/O prob to F/O prob war subs

C A Robson(52695) 30/11/43

Which seems to tie in with your subject, but the CWGC has the service number as 52669

On enlistment a service number was issued, on commissioning this was replaced with a new number- as shown above.

The correct service number greatly assists in obtaining the service records.

I also see that several artifacts from the excavated crash site have been sold on.

 

All the best

Paul H

 

 

 

 

Paulie,

for your interest I have downloaded the Air78 records series 136 covering Robsons et al.

Cliiford Allen Robson is shown as service number 552509.

 

I can forward you a copy of the relevent page.

All the best,

Paul H

prherod'AT'waitrose.com

change 'AT' for @

Just read your message about Alaistair Stewart what a lovely photo! How sad to see that he did not live to see his son,the same as my father Bernard Brooker(Navigator on PB669).I am a great fan of Al Stewart as well.I will paste your photo into my scrapbook if I can!!

Hi, just seen this thread. John Robertson was my grandfather. He flew mainly with 97 Sqn out of Coningsby. He'd completed all of his missions, and was working as part of a training crew. We were led to believe that the crash was in Warboys. I have his log book and am happy to supply more information if needed.

Do you know if there is anything to mark the site of the crash.

Gail