# FAIREY FIREFLY Mk1 Z2096



## saul (Apr 5, 2018)

Hi All

I'm trying to find information relating to the crash of a Fairey Firefly Mk1, No Z2096 at RNAS Easthaven
on the 11-11-1944. I know the pilot survived but sadly two civilians were killed.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Saul


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## alanatabz (Apr 10, 2019)

Hi Saul

I have been researching this.

I was of the belief it was a Corsair, but that's not been proved. 

The pilot was changed and jailed for killing a farmer and an italian POW, the crash was Near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire - not at East Haven.

regards

Alan

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## fubar57 (Apr 10, 2019)

Fairey Firefly Mk.I

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## alanatabz (Apr 10, 2019)

fubar57 said:


> Fairey Firefly Mk.I
> View attachment 534834​


Cheers.

I am wring a 2nd book about WW2 in the area and this is part of the research, I have all the names of those effect and the location.....

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## watson1963 (Apr 27, 2019)

Hi Saul, I used to live at Crathes and researching crashes in the north east was a hobby I had for quite a few years.

The Firefly crashed in a tattie field at Upper Wyndings, just a short distance west of Stonehaven on the road to Auchenblae (I seem to recall it was to the south of the road, ie on the downhill side). The ground there slopes down away from the road to the steep little gully with the railway in it, probably this terrain appears quite tight from the air, especially if you're belting on at Firefly speeds, and low. It's easy to imagine a slight misjudgement of height, speed and terrain ending up in an accident like this.

Alan is right about the outcome. Absolutely tragic. I have a copy of the short civil court report, King was charged in Stonehaven court, several months later, iirc. He was lucky to survive. I often wondered what happened to him after that.

If I recall right, the farmer, his son, and at least two (three?) Italian POWs, were lifting tatties in the field (I have a feeling the POWs were from the camp at Northhill, just outside Laurencekirk) (but almost mid November seems awful late to be lifting tatties though!) .. The ac made several low passes over the party and must have got the last one wrong. At least a couple of the horses were killed.

One of my research colleagues spoke to the farmer's son, who still lived nearby, this would have been in the late 1970s. I am sure I recall hearing (can't recall from whom) that just before the accident, the British forces had taken a battering from Italian forces, and that the pilot had this in mind when he spotted the uniforms the POWs were wearing, and decided to buzz them. Probably conjecture, but it would be interesting to see if the forces had indeed taken a pasting recently before the crash. You never know.

From memory, the role of King's unit at East Haven was to train deck landing officers, so I believe the ac were "clockwork mice", doing circuit after circuit to help the trainees to get the batting right. I didn't uncover any info about what King was doing up at Stonehaven, 32mi away straight line from East Haven, maybe he was en route to somewhere up north, and at low level, spotted the POWs, and went down for a look. Or maybe at the end of a (boring?) day's flying, taking advantage of having the ac at his disposal. 

Excuse the sketchy info, I still have files on all the accidents I researched, but have not looked at them in years (I live in Somerset now).

Hope you uncover more info.. the Fleet Air Arm Museum would be worth contacting, to see if they have any more info.

Cheers

Adam

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## watson1963 (Apr 28, 2019)

More from Alan here:
Fleet Air Arm aircraft crash - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

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## watson1963 (Apr 28, 2019)

My colleagues of old may have more info 
.. I know Colin spoke to local people in the 1970s ..Local Aviation History Research @mackz.net Home Page

And Linzee .. World War II Aviation Crash Sites in Scotland - Home Page

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## alanatabz (Apr 29, 2019)

I have a good handle now on the event which is going into my 2nd book. Yes, the POWs came from North Hill. I have another POW in the 2nd book that was hit by a train whilst walking back from his job in a sawmill.

I used some of Linzee's photos (with permission) in my first book. The books are about facts and events in NE Scotland so not specific to aircraft.

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## saul (Jun 26, 2020)

alanatabz said:


> Hi Saul
> 
> I have been researching this.
> 
> ...


Hi Alan
Many thanks for your reply, only just seen it! must check notification settings.

Regards
Saul


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## saul (Jun 26, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> Fairey Firefly Mk.I
> View attachment 534834​


Thanks


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## saul (Jun 26, 2020)

watson1963 said:


> Hi Saul, I used to live at Crathes and researching crashes in the north east was a hobby I had for quite a few years.
> 
> The Firefly crashed in a tattie field at Upper Wyndings, just a short distance west of Stonehaven on the road to Auchenblae (I seem to recall it was to the south of the road, ie on the downhill side). The ground there slopes down away from the road to the steep little gully with the railway in it, probably this terrain appears quite tight from the air, especially if you're belting on at Firefly speeds, and low. It's easy to imagine a slight misjudgement of height, speed and terrain ending up in an accident like this.
> 
> ...



Hi Adam
Many thanks for this info, as mentioned in another reply I've just found out there has been reply's as I must need to change my notification settings. I would be very interested to know more if you can help. 

Regards
Saul


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