Monument record 7231/0/1 - Probable WWII aircraft crash site, Weldon Park

A B-17G Flying Fortress crashed on 1st August 1944. All nine crew were killed; one was buried at the American cemetery outside Cambridge and the others were most likely recovered and buried in the US. The crash report indicates that the main bomb load detonated as a result of the crash. If this is correct it would suggest that no major ordnance remains at the crash site although cannon and other defensive material may still be present.

{1} The crashed aircraft was a B17 from the US 384th Bomb Group. All nine crew were killed; one was buried at the American cemetery outside Cambridge and the others were most likely recovered and buried in the US. The crash report indicates that the main bomb load detonated as a result of the crash. If this is correct it would suggest that no major ordnance remains at the crash site although cannon and other defensive material may still be present.

{3} Blocks 10, 11, 12 and 13 were located in the fields south-east of Little Cot Farm, over light surface scatters of tap slag and three discrete areas of magnetic enhancement identified during scanning.
Block 13 was located over three strong discrete anomalies identified during scanning. Slag was not observed on the surface, however it was originally thought that these strong anomalies indicated the presence of smelting furnaces. Noted on the ground at the time of detailed survey were small fragments of aluminium aircraft fuselage and pieces of .50 calibre bullets. Subsequent conversations with locals confirmed that an American bomber had crashed in this area during WWII. The discrete areas of magnetic disturbance are perhaps therefore more likely to represent large pieces of ferrous debris originating from the crash.

{4} There are multiple small dipolar ferrous anomalies dispersed throughout the survey data, representing ferrous objects within the plough soil.

<1> Cadman G., 2005, Weldon Development - US Aircraft Crash Site, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106896.

<2> U.S. Army Air Force, 1944, U.S. Army Air Forces War Department Report of Aircraft Accident, (unchecked) (Document). SNN106897.

<3> Hancock A., 2005, Phase 1 Geophysical Survey: Land East of Weldon, Corby Northamptonshire, 2005, p.10 (checked) (Report). SNN109963.

<4> Walford, J. & Meadows, A., 2015, Archaeological geophysical survey on land at the Weldon Park Development Area, Corby, Northamptonshire, September 2015, p.4 (Report). SNN110284.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2019 1:25PM