A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
August 10, 2025
Gibhill Wood, near Cornwood – crash site of Short Stirling Bomber, Mark I, R9329, V (for Victor)
A Short Stirling Bomber, M\rk I, R9329, had taken off from RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk at 2045 on Thursday 20th August 1942 to lay mines off the Gironde estuary near Bordeaux. During its mission, it is thought the aircraft had been hit by enemy ground defences (according to RAF accident report) and the return journey was made at low level, in part due to poor weather conditions and possibly due to aircraft damage. The navigator’s log book miraculously survived the crash and the last entry was just 10 minutes before the fateful crash at 0325 on Friday 21st August at Gibhill Wood (nr Cornwood) killing all seven young crew members. The navigators entry simply read: “03.15 completely lost”.
The official RAF accident report stated that the aircraft flew into high ground and caught fire after returning from its mission over France where “it was heavily engaged by ground defences and probably damaged. As the return would be made at low height it would appear that allowance was not made for the rising ground”. What is clear is that the aircraft was completely lost, which must have been very distressing. David Nicholson, the brother of Sgt Lawrence Nicholson, one of those killed in the crash conducted his own investigation and suggested that the aircraft had been hit by ‘friendly fire’ over Plymouth (8 miles to the south west), perhaps because it was flying low and hadn’t switched on its recognition signals. There is no conclusive evidence to support this theory, but it is a distinct possibility. There was a witness to the crash, a young boy, who said he had seen the aircraft coming in on fire and badly damaged trying to make a climb, which may back up the ‘friendly fire’ theory.
Whatever the root cause of the aircrash on that night, the reality is that 7 young lives were lost, serving their country. We will remember them – RIP
Bibliography
Graham Lewis (2016) – Wings over Dartmoor, Military Aircraft Crashes on Dartmoor 1939-1966 (pages 89-91)
Robert Jones (2015) – Dartmoor Air Crashes, Aircraft lost in World War Two (pages 54-59)
This sketch map shows the area where the Short Stirling Bomber, R9329 of 149 squadron from RAF Lakenheath crashed in Gibhill Wood in the early hours of Friday 21st August 1942. The area is bisected by a public footpath between Lutton and Quick Bridge on the Lee Moor / Cornwood roadView of Penn Beacon en-route from Quick Bridge to Gibhill WoodApproaching Gibhill Wood where the area (August 2025) has been de-forested, thus following the OS map can be misleading as the area is now much devoid of treesGibhill Wood next to the public footpathThis granite pillar was placed here in 2011 as a more permanent memorial to the men of the Short Stirling Bomber 9329. The granite pillar was unveiled during a service of dedication by David Nicholson, a nephew of Sgt Lawrence Nicholson the forward turret gunner on the aircraft. Four local men Gordon Fowell, Alan Graham, Peter Sandover and Ian Stone had begun planning this memorial in 2009. The granite pillar reads: “STIRLING BOMBER OF / 149 SQDN RAF / CRASHED HERE WITH / THE LOSS OF / 7 AIRCREW ON 21st AUGUST 1942 / CREW / SGT G E ROBERTSON 25 / SGT P E J JENKINS 22 / SGT D H HARRIS 20 / SGT D R SIMPSON 26 / SGT L H NICHOLSON 21 / SGT F S CLARKE 25 / SGT C J BOND 19 / WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”. The granite pillar memorial usually has poppies placed around it as well as on the nearby fence and is a quiet peaceful place for personal reflection and thoughts of those who lost their lives while serving their country. RIPShort Stirling Bomber V (for Victor)A member of the RAF recovery team of the aircraft carved two crosses into a beech tree at Gibhill Wood, which remain today, over 80 years laterThe Eastern Cross in the beech tree is the larger of the two carvedThe eastern cross as measured by an A.Watson (sometime between 2007 and 2017) as follows: ‘cross 0.43 metres, span 0.35 metres. Width at top 10.1 centimetres, base 7.62 centimetres, arms 10.1 centimetres’.The Western Cross in the beech tree is the smaller of the two carved and is less ‘cross shaped’ today than its counterpart The western cross as measured by an A.Watson (sometime between 2007 and 2017) as follows: ‘cross 0.25 metres, span 0.17 metres. Width at top 12.7 centimetres, base 5.08 centimetres, arms 7.62 centimetres’.Also on the beech tree, which has the two carved crosses, are some carved numbers which are likely to be dates (or at least part of dates). The highest number appears to the ’58’ and the lowest number appears to be ‘1957’The Ginhill Wood crash site is around 200 metres along the track from Gibhill CottagesThere was a witness to the aircrash, a seven year old boy, who it is assumed may have lived at one of the cottages. As the crash occurred at 0325, it has been commented on that perhaps this was a rather strange time for a young boy to be awake an looking out of a window, unless of course he had been awoken by the noise of the aircraft or possible sound of gunfireGibhill Cottages date to at least mid-19th century and maybe olderA short distance south from Gibhill Cottages is this granite bench, another place for quiet personal reflectionContextual view of bench beside curved wall to the south of Gibhill Cottages. Above the bench is a small plaque dedicated to Maurice Courtney SteerThe bench and plaque are located at SX59465 59696The plaque reads: “MAURICE COURTNEY STEER / AUG 3rd 1931 – NOV 27th 2006 / REST A WHILE AND ENJOY / MY FAVOURITE VIEW”. Given that Maurice would have been 11 at the time of the Gibhill Wood aircrash, one wonders if he lived in this area his whole life and perhaps witnessed the unfortunate consequences of that fateful night in August 1942?This is Maurice Courtney Steer’s view. In the far distance is Stalldown Barrow, Sharp Tor and Hangershell Rock. In the foreground is the Delamore House and Estate.Zoomed in view of Delamore house (taken from Maurice’s granite bench). The house was built in 1859 by the widow (Anne) of the William Mackworth Praed (a well know considerable benefactor to the parish). The structure we see today is typically Victorian.
