Military Jet Crash at Frechville in the 50's

[Springslass 10]

I remember the crash even tho I was real little....I lived in Normanton Springs.

It was at night and wasn't allowed to go and see even tho my older siblings did. Everyone was shocked and talked about how brave the pilot was to steer plane away from houses. We kids stayed away from crash site for years.

[carsupplier 10]

I am too young to remember the crash but up to 16 years old we lived on silkstone crescent,and used to play on those fields,there were two i think massive holes that we uesd to make dens in,and we were told is was haunted by that pilot.We used to be terrified that he would come and as I got older thought whole thing was rubbish NOW I KNOW ITS NOT whoo hooo spooky thanks for this information.

 

I don't know if this has anything to do with the crash, but I remember in the 70's playing with my cousins on some land at the back of Longstone Crescent and Fox lane and I can remember there being large holes on this land, my cousins used to call these the 'bomb holes', anyone know what did actually cause them.

[Magsby 10]

I remember the my parents telling me that they had just gone to bed when they heard the noise of the plane crashing in the field opposite the garage at Frechville. My dad jumped out of bed and ran from Thornbridge Crescent down to Birley Moor Road to see what had happened in his Pyjamas.

[Puffin4 10]

And what exactly had happened in his pyjamas?

[Magsby 10]

Sorry Grammer a bit out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Puffin4 10]

Sorry Magsby, just me being a bit facetious; the old Nether Edge Grammar School will out! Add to that, half a lifetime in the RAF and that is the basis of my sense of humour.

 

I did actually witness the crash and have commented upon it earlier in the thread. I was a youth of about 14 or 15 and was in the back garden of my home at Richmond when the aircraft came over very low and making a bit of a racket. Seconds later there was a boom and flames over in Frecheville.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[Magsby 10]

Thought this to be a friendly site. No other comment from me on this subject!!!!!

[Puffin4 10]

Hi Magsby,

 

I was not trying to be unfriendly, quite the opposite. My sincere apologies if I have acted outside the bounds of your expectations of the site.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[son returned 10]

I seem to remember it was a jet belonging to the American Airforce it came down on the land next to the tram track where it crosses Birley Moor Road. I remember it because I had a piece of the wreckage. I was at Frecheville school at the time. It was said the pilot had engine problems and wanted to avoid hitting any houses, I think he died in the crash.

[carolg 10]

I remember seeing this just after it happened, the pilot did well to miss all the houses on the Hackenthorpe side and the Silkstone Road side of Frechville. We were stopped from walking across the field going to a relative's and had to walk round on Birley Moor Road and from there we could see the plane in the dip of the field although dark. The police told my parents the pilot must have been looking for somewhere to land with no street lights. I was about 10 at the time.

[JayLee38 10]

I was wondering what had happened then! Didn't notice the in the 50's bit and thought it was recent lol

[mickyboy 10]

I was wondering what had happened then! Didn't notice the in the 50's bit and thought it was recent lol

 

Ther's quite quite a lot of information in a book called "Shirebroook The forgotten valley" Very interesting book anyway for anyone from around there. Got it from Waterstones in town glossy and well illustrated. No author but published on behalf of Shirebrook Heritage group.