Killead memorial unveiled after ten-year campaign

A MEMORIAL to six women killed in a plane crash at RAF Aldergrove has finally been installed after ten years of campaigning.

Family members of some of those who died were present at an unveiling ceremony recently.

On 19 July 1941 a Bristol Blenheim aircraft from 254 Squadron was involved in a fatal crash at RAF Aldergrove when it struck a wireless mast during a low level flight and crashed into the roof of the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) building before bursting into flames.

All three airmen on board were killed, as was another airman, who had been walking nearby, and six civilian women working in the building.

Wartime enthusiast Andy Glenfield, from the WW2 in Northern Ireland website, has been campaigning for a memorial to the women for many years and has been working with UUP councillor and Antrim Royal British Legion chairman Paul Michael on the issue.

It was finally agreed at the December 2023 Community Planning Committee meeting of Antrim and Newownabbey Borough Councik to erect a memorial at Killead commemorating the six civilians killed in the air crash at RAF Aldergrove on 19 July 1941, subject to approval of the memorial design.

A meeting of the committee viewed a proposed design in early 2024. A budget of £1,000 was approved at the December 2023 Community Planning Committee meeting for the creation and installation of this memorial.

When the crash happened, some airmen who were drilling on the parade grounds in preparation for a funeral were horrifically burned.

While the military casualties have been remembered with full trappings, no monument has ever been erected to the women who died.

They were Margaret Castles, Elizabeth Osborne, Brigid McGarry from The Largy, Crumlin, Mary Mulholland from Aldergrove, Annie Watson and Annie V. S. Crozier.

Mr Glenfield has been in contact with the NAAFI, Royal Air Force Association, RAF Benevolent Fund and the Northern Ireland War Memorial to try and arrange a memorial for the women, but so far has met with closed doors.

However in 2023, Andy met with former Mayor Paul Michael, who said he would do all he could to secure backing and funding for a permanent place for the women to be remembered.

The pair met back in 2021 at a special service to unveil a memorial in Mallusk to one of the many Polish airmen who lost their lives here during the Second World War.

The baton has since been taken up by the council’s Veteran’s Champion, Alison Bennington, who has been pushing for progress on the issue.

On the day in question, in the NAAFI, the women were clearing up after a busy tea break. In the nearby 23 Maintenance Unit Hangar, the Ground Defence Force was drilling.

And in the blue skies above, a Mark 4 Bristol Blenheim was returning to Aldergrove in formation with two others.

On approaching the airfield, one of the aircraft broke from the pattern, with the other two making perfect landings.

But for whatever reason, not the third, piloted by Flying Officer Walter Hargreaves King.

The plane was initially said to have clipped a mast or telegraph pole, but later reports said that it had collided with a support wire leading from the Squadron Commander’s flag pole.

The Blenheim skimmed the Aldergrove Road with just feet to spare - with one airman dying immediately from devastating injuries as he walked along the road, right in front of a horrified eight-year-old boy who lived next to the facility.

With the wings said to have been shorn off, what remained of the plane then went hurtling straight into the roof of the NAAFI building.

When the fuel tanks of the aircraft burst, the burning fuel set the building alight, killing some of those women and injuring a number of others.

Wreckage was thrown into the hangar where the Ground Defence Force was drilling and 13 casualties were sustained, including one fatality.

The three crew members of the aircraft, Flying Officer King along with Sergeant Philip Evans Neale, and Sergeant Richard Edward Lea, who was only 18-years-old, were killed along with six women who worked in the NAAFI and one airman, Aircraftman First Class Clifford Henry Hore, who was 20.

The pilot’s body was found fifty yards from the impact site.

David Whiteside was that eight-year-old boy, riding his bike around his yard next to the airfield.

A few years ago, he told the Antrim Guardian about his memories of the incident. David said he saw the aircraft swing to the left, flying across the Aldergrove Road at three to four feet, killing the airman walking on the road, then flew into the NAAFI.

At the time, and unusually for civilians, Miss Castles, Miss Crozier, and Miss Watson were placed in the “Died on Active Service” column of the newspaper death notices - but nowhere else, it seems.

The bodies of the Royal Air Force fatalities were repatriated to England for burial.

The casualty file is retained by RAF, but the Air Historical Branch does not contain any details on the NAAFI girls.

The Air Council asked the NAAFI to convey its condolences to the NAAFI next-of-kin on its behalf, so no details of their names are recorded with the single exception of Miss Osborne, whose sister thanked the Air Council via the NAAFI.

On 23rd July, a Coroner’s Enquiry was held. Evidence was given that the aeroplane was in perfect mechanical order when it took off. In response to a question from a relative of one of the victims as to whether the pilot was experienced, a flying officer responded that, ‘the pilot was fully qualified to fly the machine’.

The Coroner returned a verdict of ‘accidental death’ and expressed his profound sympathy with the relatives of those who had lost their lives in the tragic accident. He also warmly commended those who had hurried to the scene to help in the rescue work.

Mr Glenfield first happened upon the case in 2015 and over the years has been in contact with the NAAFI, Royal Air Force Association, RAF Benevolent Fund and the Northern Ireland War Memorial to try and arrange a memorial for the women.

He said: “Having learned about this crash I immediately knew that I had to investigate further and the more I learned about the circumstances the more shocking it became.

“Some of the wreckage was thrown into a 23 Maintenance Unit Hangar where the Ground Defence Force was drilling. The irony was that they were practicing a Funeral March for a forthcoming Funeral.

“Another Airman who had been walking along a road in camp was killed by aircraft wreckage and I believe this was witnessed by a young boy.

“All of the aircraft crew died along with the six women who were working in the NAAFI.

“Along with the fatalities a further ten airmen were seriously injured and another four NAAFI girls and a civilian worker were all injured.

“I knew that all the service personnel could receive a Commonwealth War Graves Commission Headstone and that their names would appear on War Memorials having died on active service however this would not be the case for the women who were killed.

“This appears unfair to me and so I began making representations to have a Memorial for the civilians. I did not expect it to take around ten years however the Memorial is now in place at Tully Road, Aldergrove showing the names of the women..and I have to admit that it was emotional to see it finally in place”

Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Julie Gilmour, who attended the unveiling said: “This plaque stands not only as a tribute to the memory of these six women, but also ensures that their contribution is finally recognised after so many years. On behalf of the Council, I would like to thank historian Andy Glenfield for his dedicated work with the Council to make this possible and for helping to ensure that these women will never be forgotten.””

Despite having supported Andy’s campaign and written about the issue extensively over the years, the Antrim Guardian was not invited to the unveiling ceremony.