Sentimental Journey by Les Brown (This was the number one record at the time of the crash)
Accident Date: 13 June 1945
Accident Site: Sìdhean Mor / Fairy Lochs (nr. Gairloch)
Region: Highland (Wester Ross)
Aircraft Accident Details
At the time of the accident, this B-24 was on its way home after the war (in Europe) to the United States via Keflavík (Meeks Field) in Iceland. The aircraft had left Prestwick and its route should have taken it over Stornoway in the Western Isles, enroute to Iceland. It is not known why it was overflying the Scottish mainland.
On board was a nine-man 'Ketchum' crew from 66th Bomber Squadron together with six other crewmen from Air Transport Command.
For some reason—perhaps a technical problem—the aircraft began to lose height while over Wester Ross in NW Scotland. At one point, the B-24 glanced the summit of Slioch, a 980m peak overlooking Loch Maree and not far from Kinlochewe. (Incidentally, facing Slioch on the opposite shore of the Loch is Beinn Eighe—the site of an Avro Lancaster crash)
In the process of striking the top of Slioch, the B-24 may have lost some parts of its bomb bay doors. However, the aircraft continued in flight for some considerable distance to Gairloch. At this point, it seems, the pilot was attempting to make a crash-landing. Unfortunately, however, his aircraft appears to have struck the rocky outcrops around the Fairy Lochs. Almost immediately, the B-24 crashed, scattering wreckage over a wide area.
All on board perished in this accident
Information from
Gairloch Highland Lodge, Gairloch
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