The Return of the Prodigal Son - Meteor WS661 at Wadhurst

[John]

On January 20th 1956 the village of Wadhurst was the scene of a horrendous aviation accident when a Royal Air Force jet crashed there. The aircraft, a Gloster Meteor NF12 (serial WS661) from the All-Weather Conversion Unit at RAF North Luffenham, was supposed to have stayed within 60 miles of the base while the two-man crew carried out a familiarisation flight. Wadhurst was, in fact, approximately 120 miles from Luffenham. The newspapers reported at the time that the parents of the pilot, F/O L. Stoate, lived at Durgates which is just to the North West of Wadhurst, but didn't elaborate or speculate on the connection at that time. It soon became obvious however that Stoate had been indulging himself in some unauthorised flying to 'show off' to his parents.. a few extracts from his Luffenham Training Report dated 19th December of the previous year give a good indication of the character of the pilot, and should certainly have set alarm bells ringing.

"Aerobatics - All well executed and flown with a show of spirit. Weaknesses - Has a tendency to be flippant and slapdash occasionally. Enthusiasm - Has a fair amount of enthusiasm and is a keen pilot; will do well if he approached his flying a little more seriously." And the footnote? "..should develop a more mature attitude towards his flying with more experience." All damming notes when viewed in the cold light of day after the accident, but presumably there were many pilots serving in the RAF at that time who had similar reports.

As well as killing himself and his Navigator, 20 year old Pilot Officer A. Patterson, two innocent civilians died in the crash as well. Thomas Stemp, 74, died in hospital from his injuries while 69 year old Emily Reed, his housekeeper, died instantly and her body was later recovered from the wrecked bungalow after the fires caused by the crash had died down. Two others were injured - Ronald Stanbridge was detained in hospital suffering from delayed shock, while Walter Bone sustained cuts from flying glass. Bone had been driving a laundry van when the crash occured, and despite the extensive damage to his vehicle and the injuries he had suffered, he moved the van away from the vicinity and then returned to aid in the rescue efforts.

A selection of photographs from the scene are shown below - I will add more information at a later date.

[John]

More photographs showing the general devastation wrought on Wadhurst..

[John]

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[John]

Comparison shot, May 2011

[John]

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[John]

Name: Charles Parsons STOATE
Address: Durgates,Wadhurst, Sussex.
Occupation: Solicitors Managing Clerk. Age 48 years

Statement

I am the father of Leonard Charles Mitchel STOATE aged 23. My son was a regular member of the Royal Air Force stationed at North Luffenham, Rutlandshire. He was a pilot and held the rank of Flying Officer. He had served about six months as a regular having previously served for two years as a National Serviceman when he qualified as a pilot. To the best of my knowledge he piloted jet fighter planes. On Sunday the 15th January, 1956, I last saw my son who had been home on weekend leave, he was in good health and spirits. He has never had any illnesses apart from the normal everyday ailments.

(Sgd) Chas. P. STOATE.

[John]

Name: Albert Henry NEWICK
Address: Angle Cottage, Wadhurst, Sussex.
Occupation: Part time farm worker Age 67 years

Statement

Between 3.10 p.m. and 3.15 p.m. on Friday the 20th January, 1956, I was hedge clipping in Sheepwash Lane, Wadhurst, which is the back of the International Stores. I saw a plane coming from the north west it was fairly high and appeared to be going normal. It circled round south east, it came back round a second time in the same direction and on this occasion it was very low, not more than about 50 feet high. It was flying at an angle, the right wing was up in the air and the left wing pointing towards the ground. The right Wing of the plane just touched the branch of an oak tree in the football ground and the next thing I saw was that it burst into flames and smoke. I hurried up the lane and found that the backs of the shops were all in flames. I did not think the plane was in trouble when it first came round.

(Sgd) A.H. NEWICK

[John]

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[John]

Name: John HAY-DRUMMOND-HAY
Address: Warland, Wadhurst, Sx.
Occupation: Director Age 49 years

Statement

At about 3 to 3.15 p.m. on the 20th January, 1956, I was in a field adjoining my house when I noticed a Gloucester (sic) Meteor Twin engined aeroplane just clearing the trees in the Wadhurst Castle district in a lefthand circle. It then immediately put its nose down, I thought "you fool don't go any lower", the aeroplane went down with its nose about 5 degrees out of vertical. It waggled its wings similar to the action taken by fighter pilots during the war after shooting down a plane, this was whilst it was still going down. It then flattened out and I thought it would not clear the houses. It passed out of my sight and immediately there was an explosion. When it disappeared it was just above ground level and making straight for Wadhurst High Street. I definitely noticed no smoke in front. Except with the waggling of the wings I noticed nothing wrong with the flying of the aeroplane. This would have been about a mile away from where I was.

(Sgd) J. Hay-Drummond-Hay

[John]

I've now made three visits to the graveyard at the church to fing the grave of F/O Stoate. Despite directions from a forum member (non-poster), and despite asking various people in the village who remember the crash, I still can't find a headstone. Any takers?

[Barry]

My name is Barry Dudley and at the time of the crash I was in primary school Wadhurst, what is now the youth club, or it was when I lived in Wahurst.
I remember a huge shudder to the school and the big door rattling, we were not told what had happened but we were kept back from going home, and I vaguely remember having to take a detour around the back of the church, as I lived at Sunny Bank Laundry in Osmers hill.
Mr Bone worked for my Grand Father at the laundry driving the van that you see in the above photos.
I can remember walking past the destroyed properties to school and seeing the devastation that the plane crash had caused, and then later on watching the new buildings being built.

[John]

Welcome to the forum, and many thanks for sharing your memory of this tragedy.

[Icare9]

Don't know about his grave, but in 2006 the BBC reported on a Memorial being set up on the 50th anniversary..
2503164 Flying Officer Leonard Charles Mitchell STOATE, 23, Pilot
4139679. Flying Officer Alistair Walter PATERSON, Navigator
A remembrance service has been held on the 50th anniversary of a plane crash in Sussex which killed four people. The Meteor jet aircraft crashed in the centre of Wadhurst on 20 January, 1956, killing the pilot, navigator and two local residents. An RAF inquiry found the pilot, Flying Officer Leonard Stoate, lost control after circling the village where his parents ran a newsagents shop. It was revealed the plane was 120 miles from base when the limit was 60.

'Fierce fire'
Retired pub landlord Thomas Steep (sic) and his house keeper, Emily Reed, were also killed when the plane hit their house. The plane obliterated a large area of the High Street, including the 500-year-old Queen's Head pub and the International Stores. Joy Creasey was a young mum visiting her friend on the day of the crash, and recalled the actual impact was just like a "terrific wind". She said: "We just left the children and dashed out into the road and we could see a bungalow burning fiercely." Former part-time firefighter Bob Wilmot was one of the first on the scene. "We got 400 gallons of water but of course that was like just boiling a kettle on a fire like that," he said.

His fathers testimony, posted by John, doesn't give the impression they ran a newsagents.

If his parents lived at Durgates, not Wadhurst, perhaps that's where he is buried? Perhaps it was felt unwise to have him buried in Wadhurst.

[John]

Report from Meridian in 2006, utilising some Pathé footage. And a hint or two as to finding his grave next time I go there.

[peterb]

Here is the British Pathe footage in one uninterrupted reel.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/jet-crash-fires-village/