Great video Andy. I grew up in Tatsfield and was interested in local history, so read period newspapers on the crash in archives. Mosscroft was still in existence...this would have been in the mid sixties. I walked the site, and found a red aluminium skinned door which may well have been from the crashed aircraft, and was still in good condition. The local garage owner, Frank Watson (I had a Saturday job at the garage) told me how he had been called out to the crash site that evening (he was in his 70s when I talked to him). He had driven down Kensley road, until he could smell aviation fuel, then saw some bodies hanging in the trees, but no sign of life. One thing you may not be aware of, is that there was a waypoint, an aerial beacon in the middle of a field between the Tatsfield Approach road, and Beddlestead lane, not far from the site of the old BBC radio receiving station. The Sabena airliner would have been routing via this on it's way towards Croydon aerodrome. The crash site is almost on a line between the beacon and the aerodrome.
@chrisward7085Ай бұрын
And to add.....two Hurricanes crashed nearby just before the Second World War. One crashed while doing circuits around Biggin Hill, and the other crashed while looking for the crash site.
@tacralingАй бұрын
@chrisward7085 Thank you very much indeed for your comments and information on this, Chris. It is greatly appreciated! How amazing it is to have spoken to an actual witness and to have found a probable piece of the wreckage. Do you know what happened to it? There seem to have been a lot of aviation incidents in and around the Tatsfield/Botley Hill area, especially before and during World War II. There's possible scope for further investigation there.
@chrisward7085Ай бұрын
I intended to take the door home but it was awkward and quite heavy, so never did. No idea what happened to it.Incidently, I believe that a Polish family called Prozhinski were renting Mosscroft prior to it being demolished. I was friendly with the adlolescent son, Stefan, who was my own age, and visited them in the house.@@tacraling
@tacralingАй бұрын
@@chrisward7085 That's an amazing personal connection. I wonder what became of the remaining wreckage. Given its significance at the time, it's a shame that the whole event hasn't been better remembered.
@chrisward7085Ай бұрын
@@tacraling Sir John Carden was a major loss. He was chief engineer at Vickers, and a director (if i remember correctly). He was a major contributor to the Carden Lloyd method of tank suspension which many second worl war armoured vehicles borrowed from.
@gillycooper87173 ай бұрын
My family moved to Tangland Castle, Goatsfield Road in Tatsfield just prior to the 2nd World war & some years later I recall my brother taking me to the site of a crash; I had always assumed it was a wartime crash, either a German or British plane, but your video suggests it may have been this one. Thank you Andrew for another interesting video. I wonder why St Lawrence's Church Caterham was used? St. Mary's Tatsfield & St. Leonard's Chelsham were much nearer.
@tacraling3 ай бұрын
@gillycooper8717 Thank you very much indeed for watching and commenting, Gilly. It is greatly appreciated. I'm glad this story ties in with a personal memory of yours regarding the crash site. I, too, was surprised about the choice of St Lawrence's, given the distance. However, there may have been several factors. St Lawrence's was already out of regular use by then (due to the Victorian building of St Mary's opposite), and it's also notable that Caterham later held the inquest, although I haven't been able to find the exact location. However, it still seems a strange choice.
@gillycooper87173 ай бұрын
As you say, Andy, it may have been the fact that St. Lawrence's was no longer in use, whereas services were held at St. Mary's & St Leonard's, so it would not have been appropriate for the bodies to be stored there.
@tacraling3 ай бұрын
@@gillycooper8717 I think that's most likely, but it would be interesting to know for sure. It must certainly have been a very unpleasant business and would have taken some considerable time.
@chrisward7085Ай бұрын
I remember Tangland Castle....a real shame it was pulled down by a developer.
@gillycooper8717Ай бұрын
The night before my parents moved an indirect hit blew out the windows & slivers of glass surfaced years later. It was sad.@@chrisward7085
@spitfirekev3 ай бұрын
Your Surrey videos, always make me home sick. Fantastic story, another new one to me. Excellent job Andy. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
@tacraling3 ай бұрын
@@spitfirekev Thank you, Kev. It was very interesting to research this one. I was surprised by how forgotten it had become, given how significant it was at the time.
@visitingdeadadventures4 ай бұрын
Very interesting story about Sir John and the tanks .shame about the plane crash and so many life's that came to a end...again a great job bring the story..take care friend.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@visitingdeadadventures Thank you for watching, Tony. I'm glad you liked the video. It was a sad event but very interesting to research. I hope you're doing well. Take care and best wishes. 👍🙂
@markporter-thechurchhistor67844 ай бұрын
Very good Andy👍I just love it whenever you bump into a local who is full of the knowledge of the history of the area and is willing to share it with you.That was excellent that Alan was able to show you the location of where the house used to be😀One thing you were wrong about though Andy,and that is that you said there is no memorial to the crash victims.Well there is now;your video is the memorial mate.Keep up the good work👍👍
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@markporter-thechurchhistor6784 Thank you for watching, Mark, and for your very kind words. I was indeed at the right place at the right time to meet Alan. It pinned the location down nicely. 👍
@ExploringwithAustinandThomas9 күн бұрын
Excellent video, lots of great pictures and research, and a great voiceover 👏 really interesting.
@tacraling9 күн бұрын
@@ExploringwithAustinandThomas That's very kind of you, and many thanks for watching and commenting. 👍🙂
@thebeatentrack1564 ай бұрын
Amazing research again Andy, what an interesting story. The plane looks like one of those from the old black & white King Kong film 😊
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@thebeatentrack156 Thank you, Kevin. 👍 Yes, you're right. The aircraft does look like a classic 1930s style. It made me think of "Lost Horizon".
@PonderingsofIrishPresbyterian4 ай бұрын
Everyone always appreciated your longer extended videos. From everyone, thank you.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@PonderingsofIrishPresbyterian That's very kind of you. It was an interesting event to research, and I discovered more as it unfolded. Many thanks for your continued support. 👍
@AdventuresUnseen244 ай бұрын
Watching now Andy 👍
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@AdventuresUnseen24 Thank you, Marsha. 🙂
@AdventuresUnseen244 ай бұрын
@@tacralingI forgot to leave a comment after watching. Sorry. This was a great informative video Andy. I very much enjoyed.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@AdventuresUnseen24 No problem, Marsha. Many thanks for watching and for your continued support. 👍🙂
@AdventuresUnseen243 ай бұрын
@@tacralingabsolutely Andy. My pleasure.
@chiefbrokenbrain4 ай бұрын
Awesome video😊
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@chiefbrokenbrain Thank you, Chief. 👍🙂
@chiefbrokenbrain4 ай бұрын
@@tacraling you're welcome.
@janlindtner3054 ай бұрын
Yes another wonder full story and thank you so mutch❤👍🤟
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@janlindtner305 Thank you, Jan. 👍 I'm very pleased you enjoyed it. 🙂
@edwardkingthompson4 ай бұрын
Thanks for taking the time to explore the area around the crash site at ground level. It added so much more gravity to the storytelling and allows a connection to the event which, although almost 100 years in the past, is a significant and tragic loss of life which should be remembered for years to come.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@edwardkingthompson Thank you, Edward. I have to say that, seeing the landscape up close, I really got a sense of how difficult the rescue and recovery operation must have been. Many thanks for watching and for your continued support. 👍🙂
@TravelWithLisaMH4 ай бұрын
Wow. Tragic and sad, bit an interesting story. Thank you for sharing this 👍🏻👏🏻
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@TravelWithLisaMH Many thanks for watching, Lisa. 👍
@pooooornopigeon4 ай бұрын
Fascinating and sad in equal measures, may they all rest in peace.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@pooooornopigeon Yes indeed, Michael. Many thanks for watching. 👍
@joanmatchett81004 ай бұрын
I would never get into one of those small plane's.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@joanmatchett8100 Compared to what we know as airliners today, they certainly did look rather flimsy. Many thanks for watching, Joan. 🙂
@cemeteryvisits4 ай бұрын
Why does KZbin keep deleting my comments???? 😢
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@cemeteryvisits Don't worry, Jim. I'm having a lot of technical difficulties with KZbin at the moment, too. Many thanks, anyway, for watching. 👍😀
@cemeteryvisits4 ай бұрын
@@tacralingoh man, I want to tell you this story and I’ve tried 3 times to get it to you, and KZbin is ticking me off 😂😂😂
@cemeteryvisits4 ай бұрын
It’s a good story and I believe you could do it well and it has a (small world connection) seeing how I myself done a video of one of the victims way over here in my area
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@cemeteryvisits Well, your last two comments have arrived successfully, Jim! Keep trying! 😅
@cemeteryvisits4 ай бұрын
@@tacralinghow close are you to old catton?
@markshrimpton31384 ай бұрын
The father of my late aunt (through marriage) was Frederick Stanley Mockford, who was an air radio pioneer and the originator of the “Mayday” international distress call. At the time of the Tatsfield Air Disaster he was the Officer-in-Charge of Radio, therefore the senior air traffic controller, communicating with pilots flying in and out of Croydon. According to my aunt he had only just finished his shift and gone home when the disaster occurred. The emergency services of the day would have been primitive in the extreme and it’s unlikely that any of the roads in the area would have been tarmac. To put it into some sort of perspective most disasters, whether man made or natural, are quite quickly forgotten. For example, for over thirty years I worked in the centre of Dundee and yet only recently discovered that there had been a terrible crushing incident on the evening of 16th January 1865 only 100 yards from where my office was located. 20 people, including 17 children died after a visitor fell on the stairs entering a music hall situated in the basement. The building as well as the dangerous stairs leading down to the hall are still there. There is nothing to indicate this horrible tragedy ever took place.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@markshrimpton3138 How amazing that you actually have a connection to this story! Many thanks for sharing that. 👍 You're right about so much history becoming easily forgotten. It's an amazing feeling when you make a discovery and find that you're familiar with the spot in question! Many thanks for watching and commenting, Mark. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. 🙂
@markshrimpton31384 ай бұрын
@@tacraling I find your uploads interesting, intelligent and sympathetic. They’re a pleasure to watch.
@tacraling4 ай бұрын
@@markshrimpton3138 That's very kind of you, Mark. Many thanks. 👍