For a while now I’ve known about this boys diary written in 1944.
On THURSDAY 23rd MARCH 1944 he writes…
A plane has crashed at Digbeth
There was a terrible plane crash at Digbeth Midland Red bus depot last night. The German are not coming any more so it was one of ours, and the three crew men were killed.
Followed by SATURDAY 25th MARCH 1944
We went to Granma and Grandad’s for dinner and everybody was talking about the plane crash. There was a picture of the firemen looking at the wreckage in Thursday night’s Evening Despatch and another in yesterday’s Birmingham Gazette. Granma said she had shed a few tears for the men. People in the Bull Ring saw the plane in difficulties and then saw it nose-dive on the bus depot. It hit a Midland Red bus which was outside and then reared up onto a workshop and burst into flames. One of the crew was pulled out by a police sergeant from Digbeth Police Station across the road but the man was already dead. Last night’s Birmingham Mail said that one of the men who was killed was Sergeant Observer Wireless Operator David Huddleston. Before he joined the R.A.F. he used to work at the Alliance Assurance Co. Ltd. in town, only half-a-mile from where the crash was. His father Mr. R.R. Huddlestone lives at 220 Chelmsley Lane, Marston Green. Four Birmingham City bus conductresses were sitting in the Midland Red bus station just before the crash but went to have a cup of tea in the canteen, so they were not hurt, but I feel very sad about the airmen.
If anyone can help me find any more information that would be great. You can read this wonderful diary here:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/brian.david.williams/diary/1944.html
Carl
Hi Nicky! Thanks for the link to the young boy’s diary. I have been imersed in it for the last hour. I hope you get to find out more information!
It’s not me who posted this link – it’s Carl!
Whoop! Must pay more attention. Sorry Carl!
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Name: HUDDLESTON, DAVID
Initials: D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 34
Date of Death: 22/03/1944
Service No: 169857
Additional information: Son of Richard Redman Huddleston and Nellie Gertrude Huddleston, of Marston Green, Warwickshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: West boundary. Grave 6.
Cemetery: SHENSTONE (ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST) CHURCHYARD
No Squadron details given so I checked the Bombercommand recoreds.
Nothing in Fighter Command, Bomber Command, HCU, or OTU records for tht flight.
Ian