Roll of Honour

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Name EDWARDS
First names Frederick Robert
Rank Sgt
Service RAF
Service number 579107
Crew position Flight Engineer
Age 25
Date of death 22nd January 1952
Cemetery Poole Cemetery, Dorset

Photographed by Simon Woodall

   Photographed by Simon Woodall
The 49Sqn Association would like to thank Simon Woodall,
Grounds Supervisor - Borough of Poole for the above photographs

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
Sgt Edwards's name is recorded on the walls of the National Arboretum
On the night of 22nd January 1952, Avro Lincoln SX923 of 49 Sqn was diverted to Marham from its home airfield at Upwood. While circling to land, the aircraft crashed near the Downham Market road at Black Drove, Fincham (see the image below). The wreckage was spread over a wide area. Rescuers managed to drag the only survivor, Sgt J F Groom clear who was seriously injured.
F/O Chatterjee (one of those killed) was attached to the squadron for two weeks training from No.81 Reserve Centre.

It is believed that the crash was caused when the starboard inner engine failed when the aircraft had full flaps applied for the final stages of the approach to Runway 06.

The crashsite of SX923
The location of the crashsite was kindly provided by Sir Jeremy Bagge of the Stradsett Estate. His remembers his late father talking about the accident. The Lincoln bomber took out the tops of several of their trees before crashing in a field belonging to the local "knacker's man".

The crashsite of SX923 is at the top of this lane (photographed by Malcolm Brooke)
The crash site is at the end of 'Black Drove'

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
SX923 came down in the field behind the car

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
The field was very 'boggy' and the rescue vehicles had difficulty
in reaching the crash site in this field

From the map provided by Sir Jeremy Bagge
More details of the crash location with the red circle
being the location of the previous photograph

Avro Lincoln SX923

F/Sgt B Wejman (killed)

F/Sgt RE Griffith (killed)
Sgt W Pickering (killed)
Sgt FR Edwards (killed)
F/O ML Chatterjee (killed)

Sgt JF Groom (injured)