War Memorial #1707 ~ Halifax LW115 Multi-Cache

This cache is a replacement for GC1EABT which has now been archived. We hope that this new cache will help to make people aware of this sad event.

Halifax MKIII LW115

At approximately 15:21 on the 14th of July 1944, a Canadian Air Force Halifax Bomber belonging to 433 Squadron, call sign LW115, took off from RAF Leeming on a cross country training flight. It was due to fly to Douglas in the  Isle of Man where it would make a course change.  By 16:05 the plane was approaching Douglas and was already in trouble. People in Douglas reported that the engines sounded strange and that the aircraft was very low.

At 16:20 a Police Sergeant in Laxey heard a strange noise followed by several explosions, then from the west he saw LW115 coming down in flames and the aircraft was rapidly breaking up.

Pieces of the aircraft fell all over the Fairy Cottage area of the village These pieces included a large part of a wing and engine which set fire to a house on Pinfold Hill.  Unfortunately a family was in residence at the time. The resulting fire swept through the house and was later to claim the life of a small boy, 3 1/2 yr old Alan McCulloch.

A search party led by Police Sgt. Godfrey set off in search of survivors from the aircraft. Sadly none were located and the bodies were found in a field at Grawe Farm along with large sections of fuselage. The wreckage from the crash covered an area of approximately 2 miles from Laxey Beach, all the way to Agneash. In 1998, Steve Poole, author of the book used for reference in this cache, found a selection of artefacts in a farm lane near the crash site.

On board were 6 Canadian Airmen:

Flight Officer William Wallace

Flight Officer John Evans

Warrant Officer James Murie

Pilot Officer Bruce Tees

Sgt. Ronald Movold

Sgt. George Pidgeon

These six Canadian airmen were buried at Andreas Cemetery.

Also on board was:

Sgt. George Walker (RAF)

who was taken back to Yorkshire for burial.

This memorial is situated in the All Saints Church grounds in Lonan.

To the left of the memorial there is a Latin inscription. To find the cache answer the following questions:

A. How many letters in the last word of the inscription?

B. How many letters in the words above the eagle?

C. How many letters in the Latin words below the eagle?

D. How many letters in the third word of the inscription?

The cache can be found at N54 13.0AB W004 24.C0D

Wellington boots are recommended during or after wet weather as the path to the container can get VERY MUDDY.