European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse R 1 Al. Ij3p of. Manc Estirl four fidos Streak across the sky As an English boy sounds last Post the final act in a Story that began 24 years ago when a b17 returning to England Cross by Bob Hoyer is . Bureau chief in a mountainous realm of skylarks and peat bogs in Northeast England a group of boys assembled around modest memorial to commemorate a touching War time was a tale of two countries two shepherds two dead american airmen and a heroic Collie that unfolded on the Cheviot a 2,600-foot-High Peak in a Bleak Northumberland grazing ground for sheep. At a signal from new York the memorial a twisted aircraft propeller mounted in Concrete was unveiled an the British boys who built it talked by transatlantic Telephone with survivors of the world War ii plane it com leading to the ceremony began last summer when boys from Church choir club in the Vil Lage of Alnwick unearthed a b17 Fly ing fortress that had crashed on dec. 1, 1944.the club was formed to provide a creative outlet for members. One club project was the investigation of the nearly 100 american British and Ger Man bombers which crashed in the area during the War. Two members 9f the . Army air Force b17 Crew died in the crash in the Cheviot. Seven were rescued and the were All on hand for a reunion in new York which was tied to the unveiling ceremony in Northumberland. Rummaging the wreckage buried under years of undergrowth and peat the boys found two Micro switches fro the Bombardier s panel. The switches were sent to the Honey Well micros Witch division Freeport 111., where tests revealed one of the was still in working order. In the meantime the boys in Alnwick Page 12 they Call themselves the revers a ancient name for Border raiders embarked on the arduous task of building memorial. Cement was carried up the rugged terrain to the site chosen for the propeller was freed from the wreckage and planted in Concrete where it now Points toward the grave of the buried inscription on the memorial reads erected by the St. Michae Schurch choir club the revers to the men of the .a.a.f. Who fought for our Freedom. 1941-1945." beneath the peat with the slumbering fort was a remarkable tale of civil and military heroism which gradually has been sifted out on both sides of the b17, no. 44-6504 it was too new to have a name was on its third Mission out of Molesworth England when it crashed in the Snow and the fog of the Cheviot. The target was Ulm Germany and the weather was expected to Clear Over the the 360th bomb Squadron and later the 303rd bomb group the air a aft and its nine Man Crew flew across the the weather failed to Clear by mid morning the Mission was bad weather procedure the planes broke formation on their return route and were ordered to land separately at various bases to avoid mid air collisions. The planes were ordered to drop their bomb loads into the North sea. B17 44-6504 was carrying a full Load of a new explosive called Rex. The aircraft commander 2nd a. Kyle Staunton va., executed a 180-degree turn Back toward England at the same time beginning his descent. When he came through the Clouds his aircraft was alone. On several occasions he requested headings Only to discover the signals were coming from German he found himself headed toward weather became so heavy it was impossible to Orient himself to drop the bombs. Snow flurries became a raging blizzard. Ice coated the wings of the plane. Kyle descended to 3,000 feet Inan Effort to find a Hole in the Clouds. For several hours Kyle tried to con tact homing beacons and to Orient the b17 by Sun or landmarks. At about12 30 . Radio operator Joel a. Berly Clemson . Got a vague fix which indicated the plane was Over Northern England. Ten minutes later he confirmed the fix and contacted Molesworth for a direction signal Home. Tension eased As the plane headed South toward Molesworth at 3,000 feet. But at 1 15 . The West Hill of the Cheviot at 2,600 feet one of the highest Points in England suddenly loomed out of the Snow. Kyle jerked Back on the stick. But twas too late. The flying fort struck. The Pilot s instinctive gesture saved most of the Crew. The big plane skidded across the bog that makes up the weal Hill. The peat served As a Cushion awl absorbed the Shock and filled the Dayrl serous bomb Bay. Ithe nose Section crumpled on Impact instantly killing Bombardier Frank , jr., Columbia ., and a Gator Fred Holcombe Swannanoa erupted in the bomb Bay. Incendiary bombs exploded and Octie off fluid from ruptured Hydraulic fuel lines. An engine on the right we exploded in fire. But the super sense do. Bombs did not go off. As ten tumbled from their shackles they were buried in the peat. remember hearing Spad explosions of .50 Caliper ammunition a they scrambled to escape. Nerf Light Engineer and top Tun it Gunnn Ernest Schieferstin Forest h us a was in the radio compartment ache the Crew to put on their parachutes wow the plane struck.1 this head struck a Bulkhead a was knocked out. When he dec minutes later he c procedure and crawled out the Side to the right Wing to await other Bers of the w an Kyle suffering a Shatte cd flight officer James h a d he l Snow Hill soon joined was awarded the pc oui ". The Cheviot. ,. Suddenly out of the Snoie. Kyle jerked on the stick. Bui it to late. The flying fort the stars and stripes thurs
