Tuesday 4th January 2005
J.V. Lloyd, of Poole House, Woonton, Herefordshire, HR3 6QL, writes ~
The front page news in our local paper The Hereford Times is all about a US plane that came back from Germany in 1944 without a crew; all had baled out. Well, my story goes back to 1940.
I was called up for service and was posted to 9th Lancers. When we came back from France in 1940 we came to Warminster and were under canvas.
One night a German bomber came down on the top of Battlesbury Hill. I drove up in a truck. The plane had landed on its two bombs, one under each wing. It had skidded for about 150 yards along the hill top, then one bomb came off its hook and the plane turned around.
I did not go too near but could see the windscreen full of bullet holes. The crew were probably inside (dead or wounded). It had been stalked in over the Channel by a night fighter.
I was hoping someone would know more about it. If the pilot was wounded, he saved the town that night.