Air Accident at Sauchie

On 17th June 1943, a training flight of three aircraft from RAF Grangemouth Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force (58 OTU RAF) was cut short over Sauchie when a Spitfire MKIIa, registered P7978, piloted by Pilot Officer Norman Edwards, collided in the air with Spitfire MKIa, Registered X4914 "Cock O' The North", piloted by Sergeant Reginald Harold Edwin Hollis.

The flight was headed by Pilot Officer R. de Burgh, and initially the flight proceeded in V formation with De Burgh leading, Hollis as Number 2 on his right and Edwards as Number 3 on his left. They moved to line-abreast and then an aerobatic manoeuvre was instigated by De Burgh, which the others attempted to match, resulting in a collision which damaged both following aircraft.

Pilot Officer Edwards bailed out and was uninjured, landing in the same field as his aircraft, which crashed and caught fire at Blackfaulds, near Sauchie. Sgt Hollis crashed nearby, perishing in his aircraft. He was aged 19. His body was returned to his native Bexleyheath, Kent, where he is buried in Bexleyheath Cemetery.

Pilot Officer de Burgh was court-martialed and found to have been lax in instructional standards.


Spitfire MK Ia X4914 - COCK O' THE NORTH.

Built around the end of 1940, this Spitfire was one of several 'presentation' aircraft which the train company LNER paid to have built for the war effort. Many presentation aircraft were paid for by local people, towns, companies and groups.

There were four LNER Spitfires:-
R7274 West Riding
X4913 Flying Scotsman
X4914 Cock O' The North
BM202 Flying Scotsman (replacement for X4913)

A more comprehensive account of the training flight can be found here. (adnedwards.co.uk)