The Gallopin' Ghost

The Crash of Gallopin’ Ghost – 20 January 1945

On 20 January 1945, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Gallopin’ Ghost" tragically crashed shortly after take off from RAF Mendlesham, home to the 34th Bomb Group. The aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 500 feet when engine number 1 failed, causing a fire in the wing.

Lieutenant Daniel Mote, the pilot, immediately feathered the propellers in an attempt to stabilise the aircraft, but it went into a left spiral dive. As the aircraft lost altitude, the crew attempted to escape.

The Crew’s Escape and Losses

• Survivors:

Tail gunner Robert Chaney and waist gunner Kenneth Lockwood successfully bailed out through the right-side waist door. The prop wash from the starboard engines may have helped their parachutes to open, and both men survived with minor injuries, though they were taken to hospital.

• Those Who Were Lost:

Flight engineer James Hulings and navigator Carlton Yarbrough attempted to bail out from the left side, likely using the nose escape hatch, but tragically, their parachutes failed to deploy properly, leading to their deaths. Yarbrough was initially listed as missing before confirmation of his loss.

As the aircraft descended rapidly, the crew salvoed their bomb load—which was still in a safed (unarmed) state—in a field near Gipping Lane, Haughley, to reduce the weight before impact. Despite their efforts, the Gallopin’ Ghost ultimately crash-landed on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR) lines near Gipping.

A Lasting Reminder

The loss of James Hulings and Carlton Yarbrough serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by aircrews, even outside of combat missions. The crash of Gallopin’ Ghost disrupted the railway, highlighting the close connection between RAF Mendlesham and the MSLR—a railway that had served as a supply lifeline throughout the war.

This tragic event remains an integral part of the history of both the 34th Bomb Group and the Mendlesham Airfield Association, ensuring that those who served, and those who were lost, are not forgotten.