 The Halifax Memorial at Moordown. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 21 March 1944 |
| Summary | Mechanical failure |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Handley Page Halifax |
| Aircraft name | Halifax JP137 |
| Operator | Royal Air Force |
| Flight origin | Hurn Airport |
| Destination | Morocco |
| Occupants | 7 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Fatalities | 9 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 21 March 1944, aRoyal Air ForceHandley Page Halifax bomber crashed inMoordown,Bournemouth,Hampshire (nowDorset) soon after take-off fromRAF Hurn (now known asBournemouth Airport) killing nine people.
The Halifax, serial number JP137, was dispatched from No 3 Overseas Aircraft Dispatch Unit at Hurn at 00:33 hours bound forMorocco on transfer to theMediterranean Allied Air Forces in theSecond World War.[1] Flying westerly, the plane turned into a wide arc, presumably in an attempt to return to Hurn, it flew overEast Howe towardsWallisdown turning south overTalbot Woods and due east overWinton when it descended towards Moordown.[2] The plane clipped buildings, including a Victorian chapel and the tram depot.[3] The plane crashed in a residential area at the corner of Wimborne Road and Meadow Court Close.[4] With a full fuel tank the plane burst into flames.[5] There were no survivors on board.[6] Two civilians were also killed in their homes.[5]
The plane crash resulted in nine fatalities:[5]
From theRAF Volunteer Reserve
In theRoyal Canadian Air Force
Civilians
Despite eyewitnesses reporting engine failure, official reports into the crash squarely blamed the 20-year-old pilot Denis Evans.[7] However it is now believed that a known design issue with the Halifax was the main cause.[5] In 2010,Moordown councillor Sue Anderson advocated a permanent memorial as part of Bournemouth'sbicentennial.[8] In 2011, a memorial was unveiled to commemorate the air crash.[9] The 70th anniversary was marked at the memorial.[10] In 2024, the 80th anniversary was marked.[11] There is a website dedicated to the Moordown Halifax Memorial which can be accessed here:https://www.jp137.com
50°45′23″N1°52′23″W / 50.7565°N 1.8730°W /50.7565; -1.8730
