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This came about following my e-mail approach recently to Mike Bennet, author of the website `Project Get Out and Walk` to ask if he had any
records of a Canberra going down at Kasfareet sometime in 1955.
(See end of this page for other information relayed to me by Mike)
I had just come out of the PSCO hanger to visit the toilets when I heard
jets taking off.Through a gap between the aircraft hangers I saw just
three go behind the right hand hanger but only saw what seemed to be two come out the other side then climb. Next a big black cloud appeared
further down the runway toward the treaty road end. Seems I did not see the full flight.
Mike got back to me just over an hour later (11.15pm) with the following :-
Canberra WH728 of 27 Sqn at RAF Kasfareet on 11-Mar-55
The aircraft took off as no 3 in a four aircraft formation. The first pair generated a considerable amount of sand, stones and grit from the poorly
surfaced runway and the second pair travelled through this. The aircraft
displayed symptoms of starboard engine failure and the pilot was unable
to control the aircraft as it became airborne and so made a forced landing straight ahead.
The crew;
Flying Officer B D Winkworth
Flying Officer O F Temple
Captain N E Parsons
escaped although they were all injured.
This prompted me to e-mail three ex Kasfareet contacts hoping for anymore gen and lo and behold, Eric Todd from Hartlepool came up with another ex Kas man who was not only on Air Traffic Control duty that day but actually had some pictures !This was Alan Winspur from Bewdley in Worcestershire and he kindly sent these to Eric who uploaded to his PC
and sent them on to me.
This picture taken from the Air Traffic
Control Tower shows the four aircraft
parked up inside the camp perimeter
boundary fence. Alan advised me that
they were out excercise from Cyprus.
That tower brings back those night
guard duties memories. The squad
shacked up in the tower overnight,
then let in through the gate to do
your stag inside the perimeter fence !
The Air Traffic Control Crew. Alan Winspur
third from right in back row but one.
Two Canberras taking off. Am unsure
of the sequence of these pictures but
this shot is to left of the tower with
palm trees in the distance indicating
the presence of the Sweetwater Canal
and Kasfareet village.
These two planes just becoming airborne
to the right of the tower. I do not know
if they were the first or second echelon.
Alan Winspur told me that the devices in
the foreground were always fully maintained
to give a visual indication to any pilot flying
over the tower without radio contact, the
information he required to make a landing.
ie wind direction, which runway to use, etc.
Was this the one that did not
get airborne ?
Canberra down....The fast response Landrover
can be seen just below and to the right of the
pillar of smoke heading to the scene.
Alan was not aware if the crew deployed their
ejection seats or not but the rumour in the camp
was that the crew were standing on the wing
awaiting touchdown ! Sounds better that way
although the plane apparently was a write off
to the tune of £400,000.
Special thanks to Alan Winspur for
use of his pictures and Eric Todd
for making the connection.
In February 2008, I e-mailed Mike to ask if he would be able to trace any details of the fatal aircraft crash of an old class mate of mine from Wellingborough Grammar School in 54/55 whilst I was serving in the Canal Zone. Les Walters was the first coloured boy I knew and he sat usually just in front of me in most classes. He was a smashing lad and a very good boxer even at the age of 15.
Mikes reply :-
24-Aug-54
WR192
Vampire FB9
249 Sqn
7 miles south east of Mafraq, Jordan. 1 Killed.
Whilst making a live attack on the range, the aircraft was dived more steeply than normal at the target. When reaching the estimated break-off point the aircraft continued in a more shallow dive, passed over the target and at a height of about 50 feet began it`s pull out. The aircraft continued it`s downward path in a tail down attitude and struck the ground.
Flying Officer Leslie Claude Walters aged 20 was killed.
