Personnel Index - Detail

Name
PICKERING
First Names
William
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1569283
Crew Position
Navigator
PoW Camp(s)
-
Age
28
Date of Death
22/01/1952
Cemetery

 



Sgt Pickering'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 Groome 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 location of the crashsite was kindly provided by Sir Jeremy Bragge 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)