Final Visit to Assynt – weather permitting to complete Memorial for Anson Crew.

June 1985 – Anson Memorial final touches – turret now long gone ! This memorial is to be replaced all the work is nearly completed and awaiting drop off this week, all being well. RAF Kinloss MRT and Eric Hughes were a big part of getting this memorial in place along with the Air Training Corp. 

On the 13th April 1941 an Anson aircraft from RAF Kinloss on a cross country training flight crashed near Ben More in the North West Highlands at Inchnadampth above Ullapool. The aircraft had taken off from Kinloss in less than ideal weather to follow a route via Oban, Stornaway and Cape Wrath before returning to Kinloss. The aircraft had completed the first two legs of its flight and reported passing Stornaway in icing conditions around this time the aircraft’s port engine lost power and failed. Sometime after this having either flown onto Cape Wrath or turning for base near Stornaway the aircraft flew into high ground in near white out conditions to the North East of Inchnadamph.  The aircraft was reported overdue at Kinloss and an air search was initiated but this failed to locate the missing aircraft, it wasn’t until the 25th May that the aircraft was located by a shepherd. All six of the crew were killed. The crash site is the only site in Scotland where the crew are buried at the crash site.

1985 ATC at the new Memorial in Assynt.

The new Memorial has been years of hard work and as many no I am against Memorials in wild places but this is where the 6 crew died and are buried on site. The Commonwealth Graves Commission have taken on the upkeep of this remote grave and wonderful new Granite Memorial ready to fly in. The work over the winter and recently involved many trips to the site in summer and winter and hopes to be completed this Wednesday. That is in the hands of the God’s and the RAF.   I hope it all goes well as I promised my old friend Eric Hughes just before he passed away two years ago I would try to get the old Memorial repaired. I am sure he would be very happy with what we have achieved. Many thanks to all who helped, especially Lossiemouth Mountain Rescue Team who have been with me on every occasion. Pray for good weather on Wednesday for the early start and long walk into the site.

The new Memorial ready to go.