Beech Clump
A clump is a cluster of trees, often on the top of a hill. In this case the trees are predominantly beech and so this pretty wooded upland feature is well enough named Beech Clump on the maps. it also has a piece of tragic history, as we shall see. . .White Sheet Hill, or Whitesheet Hill? That is the question. On the OS maps it's the former; everywhere else (including Stourhead Estate, now owned by the National Trust) references the latter. So, we go with the majority vote.IMAGES WITH NOTES
(click pics to enlarge / overlapping on a small screen? try 1024 x 768 pixels) John Potts 07-09-12 (this author/date applies to all relevant photos below)
INTRO
Below we have an impression of the lay of the land using maps from Google and Bing. The walk starts from the handy car park at the base of Whitesheet Hill. As can be seen by enlarging the Ordnance Survey map, there are several ways to approach Beech Clump, but the one I chose was, as it happened, definitely the most scenic approach. Sweeping views of White Sheet Downs to the east, with Zeals Knoll providing a jewel in the crown towards the south and Mere town in the distance. All held together by a patchwork of barley and grazing stock fields, dotted here and there with the odd farm or cottage. To the north, Long Knoll and Little Knoll frame Brimsdown Hill and westerly the great sweep up to Beech Clump itself. . .
click images to ENLARGE
As can be seen in the arrowed map above, I walked beyond the clump and did a circuit of (mostly) official pathways, looping back to the little hill wood and then back to the car park. About 2.25 miles in total. Another time the idea is to come in from west, along the avenue created by tall hedgerows, which must be a great boon to much local wildlife and plants. There are several trail options to explore and document. In fact, the other side, called The Drove (so named as a main route for funnelling sheep and cattle up to and down from White Sheet Downs and environs) has now been completed. Just a few miles from Maiden Bradley; if you haven't been there do check it out. Perhaps the photos and text below will kindle your enthusiasm. (Dog owners may find it a pleasant and convenient walk simply from the car park to the clump and back - about a mile.)
1
handy car park at Whitesheet Hill's base
2
looking s/w down the path (Beech Clump just visible)
3
field gate marks start of main drag
4
through the gate
5
halfway along, looking back at Whitesheet Hill
6
getting there. . .
7
looking south along the way towards Zeals Knoll
9
South across the fields, Nor Wood trails left into Long Hill, Mere
10
Still southerly, Whitesheet descends near Wood Farm, to the left Long Hill
11
Looking north-west we see Little Knoll
12
north is the terminal hump of Long Knoll beyond Berkeley Farm and Norton Ferris
13
unusual circular field feature, top left - see aerial view (above)
14
almost there. . .
15
approaching the clump
16
looking back to Whitesheet Hill
17
looking back easterly from just inside the clump
(after reading about the Dakata crash - below)
Dakota Crash - 19 February 1945
Dakota III TS436 was assigned to the Glider Pick-Up Training Flt, whose role was to train crews in the 'snatch take-off method for retrieving gliders. Those on board were mostly returning to their base in Leicester, on completion of the course of instruction at Zeal Airfield. The aircraft took off at 1523 hours in conditions of broken cloud, with some patches down to 100 feet and generally overcast, a westerly wind at 10 mph and visibility of 1 to 2 miles at ground level. The pilot made a quarter circuit of the airfield and then set course to the north-east. Three minutes later whilst flying in and out of the broken cloud and whilst in level flight, the aircraft flew into a clump of 60 foot tall beech trees on top of a knoll. The impact ripped 10 feet off the port wing and the aircraft rolled to port, hit two more trees and then impaled itself on a cluster of four mature trees, caught fire and disintegrated, scattering wreckage over a distance of 300 yards on the far side of the knoll. Destruction of the aircraft was complete but investigation revealed the engines to have been at a high power setting on impact. The Accident Report, published on 17 May 45, suggests that the pilot who was the sole survivor, had failed to climb to a safe height when flying in poor visibility, although the knoll was a well known obstruction in close proximity to the airfield.The tragic sequel to this loss is that the pilot, who had been awarded the DFC for his gallantry on operations, followed a restless career afterwards leaving and returning to the RAF until finally joining the Foreign Service and being appointed an Assistant District Officer. While on assignment in Kenya, he committed suicide.
The twenty killed:
Flight Lieutenant Reed Tilton HYDE 33 RCAF
Flying Officer James Cassells HOWDEN 29 RCAF Pilot
Flying Officer Gerard Jean GUAY 24 RCAF Wireless Operator
Flying Officer Mervyn Esmond Llewellyn SCOVELL 33 RCAF Navigator
Flight Sergeant Alan Geoffrey SHADDICK 20 RAAF Pilot
Flight Sergeant John Ogilvy ALLEN 21 RAAF Wireless Operator
Flight Sergeant Leslie Daniel SLIPPER 21 Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Thomas Arthur EVANS 23 Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Alan James ROBERTS 23 Pilot
Flying Officer Sidney Graham WILLIAMS Navigator
Flight Sergeant Donald GRANT 21 Navigator
Flight Sergeant Maxwell Vernon GILDER
Flight Sergeant James ROSS 24 Flight Engineer
Flight Sergeant Ronald Edward JELFS 23 Flight Engineer
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Elliott TURNBULL 23 Wireless Operator
Flight Lieutenant John HEYWOOD Equipment Officer
Corporal Kenneth Stanley ANDERSON
Aircraftman 2nd Class Reginald Ernest SUGGARS
Aircraftman 2nd Class Walter James COLBY 44
Flight Lieutenant Frank Joseph PLANT 27 Navigator.
A memorial stands at nearby Beech Knoll (ST 792 348) near Search Farm, Stourton, 2.5 miles north-west of RAF Zeals. It marks the site where the Dakota transport plane crashed. The National Trust who own Beech Knoll were approached and kindly gave permission for the memorial to be placed on the hill top. Relatives and former comrades of those who died, some of whom where Australian and Canadian were traced and contacted, together with the local community they funded the memorial.
In the maps below Zeals Airfield is indicated and the general
flight path of the doomed Dakota at Beech Clump . . . . . . . .
On 14 August 1999 a dedication and unveiling ceremony took place, in the presence of 150 relatives and guests. The memorial was unveiled by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Gingell GBE, KCB, KCVO RAF and the dedication was conducted by Canon F Davey, a former WWII Coastal Command navigator. The RAF was represented by Wg Cdr John Barras OC 30 Squadron, RAF Lyneham. The Royal Australian Air Force by SqnLdr Greg Shaw and the Royal Canadian Air Force by Capt Kirk Bennett. The 'Last Post' was played by an RAF bugler and Dakota N47FK of the Dakota Club, based at North Weald, carried out a fly-past. - Wikipediamap-1: circles around the airfield and clump — map-2: aerial view (arrows approximate flight path direction)
MORE . . .
IMAGE: The Americans perfected the aerial snatch technique, the original idea being to speed up collection of mail.
In 1942 military authorities were shown light gliders could be retrieved in the same manner, and this was further
adapted for heavier aircraft in 1943.
In February 1945 an RAF Glider Pick-up Unit moved into RAF Zeals and commenced training in preparation for duties with 'Tiger Force' against the Japanese. Aircraft fitted with a hook and winch would fly low and snatch up the glider's tow rope allowing it to be retrieved from the landing ground.
At the completion of the first training course (two weeks) on 19 February 1945, the air and ground crew took off in Dakota TS436 to return to their home base at RAF Leicester East. The aircraft struck cloud-covered trees atop Beech Knoll, within sight of the airfield, killing all on board, except the pilot who died later of severe injuries.
A local man unsuccessfully attempted to have a memorial erected. WHMS (Wiltshire Historical Military Society) later agreed to take on the project. The National Trust who own Beech Knoll were approached and kindly gave permission for the memorial to be placed on the hill top. WHMS then traced relatives and former colleagues of those who died, some of whom where Australian and Canadian. Those contacted, together with the local community funded the memorial.
On 14 August 1999 a dedication and unveiling ceremony took place, in the presence of 150 relatives and guests.
The memorial was unveiled by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Gingell GBE, KCB, KCVO RAF and the dedication was conducted by Canon F Davey, a former WWII Coastal Command navigator. The RAF was represented by Wg Cdr John Barras OC 30 Squadron, RAF Lyneham. The Royal Australian Air Force by SqnLdr Greg Shaw and the Royal Canadian Air Force by Capt Kirk Bennett.
The 'Last Post' was played by an RAF bugler and Dakota N47FK of the Dakota Club, based at North Weald, carried out a fly-past. - Communigate
Zeals Control Tower (pic: Shaun Churchill) - now used as a private dwelling →
Also see. . .
View our images on Geograph + Go History
Note: As more information becomes available it will be added here . . .
item 01-10-2012 / pics (unless credited by direct link) 03-09-12 + 07-10-12 — jp©
http://is.gd/BeechClump
http://is.gd/Dakota
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