May 8, 2014
England

Isle war grave at site of wind farm

South Yorkshire Times | 08 May 2014 | www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk

The Bells revealed recently that turbines planned as part of a wind farm could extend over a war grave near Crowle.

A scheme by REG Windpower could see turbines placed near the site of a Lancaster Bomber plane crash in September 1945.

Maurice Parkin, 79, of Crowle, recalls the event of the crash that occurred when he was a young lad.

He said: “My parents, Minnie and George Parkin, were grocers in the market place and they ran a small cafe that was used as a drop-in centre by soldiers and airmen – they held their drill in the market place sometimes and my mother would make up to 350 mugs of tea in a day. They called her Ma Parkin. They also had seven bunk beds that were used as a military sick bay.”

He recalled: “The night before the plane crashed, one of the lads killed (I believe they were Australian) held his twenty-first birthday party at the cafe.

“I wasn’t allowed near the scene off Marsh Road. The Lancaster, that was thought to be returning to base, had sunk in to the ground. Seven died. Two airmen were never found. For some years afterwards a woman would come with flowers to the site of the crash each September. The owner of the land told me he thought she came from Australia and was the mother of one of the crew who perished. I saw her as I was working on the farm at that time and spoke to her once. I wish I’d asked her who she was.

“It’s guesswork as to where the site is exactly, but it is a burial ground.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/05/08/isle-war-grave-at-site-of-wind-farm/