Wellington BK433

On the 5th March 1943 a Vickers Wellington Mk III (BK433) took off from RAF Chipping Warden, the home of Number 12 Operational Training Unit, for a night training sortie at a local bombing range, most likely to be Shotteswell.  

The crew on board BK433 were as follows:

On return to RAF Chipping Warden the aircraft was to circle the misty airfield, in preparation to land.  During this time, at 2.20am, BK433 crashed into Warden Hill Covert, just under a mile east of RAF Chipping Warden.  Notes taken from the Court Of Inquiry described BK433 to have  "...dived into the ground...".  Other reports describe the aircraft as stalling at 600ft having made a climbing turn.  

At that time Warden Hill Covert was home to RAF Chipping Warden's Number 8 Site, where the WAAF's were billeted.  It is understood that one of the burning engines came to rest outside one of the billets, causing the billet to catch alight.  A human chain of buckets of water from the Ablution Block was formed to douse the flames until the Fire-engines arrived.

Tragically all of the crew, except Sgt Henry Napier, perished in the crash. Sgt Henry Napier, the only survivor, was "...relatively unscathed...", but was later classified as "...suffering from acute shock...".  

        Sadly Sgt Henry Napier, the only survivor of BK433, was killed six months later on 1st September 1943 whilst on-board a Short Stirling of 622 Squadron.  The aircraft (MZ264, GI-A) took off from RAF Mildenhall at 8.15pm for operations over Berlin, but was shot down by a Night-Fighter and crashed at Shäpe, 10km ENE of Brück.  One member of the crew survived and was taken Prisoner of War.  Those who perished are remembered with honour at Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery

The family of Navigator and Bomb Aimer, Sgt Denis Alexander, have erected a plaque and planted two trees in close proximity to the crash site at Warden Hill Covert, this can be found at SP 513 496  (451331,249635).

Navigator and Bomb Aimer

Sergeant Denis William Alexander

The Memorial Plaque

The Memorial Plaque and Trees

(Note: The gap in the tree line at the top of Warden Hill Covert (above) was probably caused by the crash of BK433)

A map showing the position of the Memorial for the crew of BK433

The thumbnail pictures below illustrate the locality of the crash site and the buildings that once stood at RAF Chipping Warden's Number 8 Site within Warden Hill Covert.  Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

In this picture the gradient of Warden Hill Covert can be seen.  

The large tree in the background looks to be frequented by youngsters judging by the rope swings that hang from it.

The Plaque can be seen in the background with a raised path in the foreground that ran between the billets, running left to right.

In the foreground a base from one of the Billet Blocks can be seen.  In the centre of the picture (circled) is the Memorial Plaque.

Warden Hill Covert as seen from the Welsh Road.

Additional Information:

Sgt R V N Moss, son of John Newton Moss and Agnes Eugenie Vincent Moss of Wollaton, is remembered with honour at Wollaton (St Leonard) Church Cemetery.

Sgt A Witton, son of Norman and Muriel Witton of York, is remembered with honour at Fulford Cemetery.

Sgt D W Alexander, son of William and Hilda Alexander or Sutton-in-Ashfield, is remembered with honour at Sutton-in-Ashfield Cemetery.

Sgt G J Gates, son of Geoffrey Benjamin and Olive Gates of Peckham, is remembered with honour at Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery.

Many thanks to Martin Alexander, the nephew of Sgt Denis Alexander, for his assistance in producing this article.

If you have any further information on the crash of BK433 please contact Garth Barnard.