| Original caption: “A formation of Westland Lysander ‘Army Co-operation’ Monoplanes flying over Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.” Westland Lysander Mark IIs of United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF) Number 16 Squadron fly over the Salisbury Plain. They are near their operational base at RAF Old Sarum. Number 16 Squadron Lysanders at this time are displaying small diameter “Type B” RAF roundels, painted over the pre-war “Type A1” insignia. The aircraft are painted “fighter-style” with 1 wing black and 1 white for night intrusion. The ailerons have been left in the original aluminium. Their serial numbers have been painted out, but known aircraft seen here are: L4810 KJ-L, L4795 KJ-M, and L4813 KJ-O. These aircraft were photographed with others from the same squadron. Number 16 Squadron was based at Old Sarum Aerodrome from April 1, 1924, operating a variety of aircraft in the Royal Army cooperation role. Number 16 Squadron was the 1st to equip with the Westland Lysander, a 2 seat, single engine utility aircraft for messaging, artillery spotting, close support direction, and reconnaissance. Through the Winter of 1939-1940, Number 16 Squadron flew from RAF Old Sarum. The squadron moved to Bertangles, France on April 14, 1940. After 9 days of fighting, Number 16 Squadron was withdrawn to RAF Lympne on May 19, 1940. For the next 3 years Number 16 Squadron operated as a reconnaissance squadron, 1st around the British coast, guarding against a German landing, then further out to sea. This duty continued until May 1943, when the unit fully converted over to fighters, flying against German fighter bombers making tip and run attacks along the British coast. Lysander L4810, assigned to Number 41 Operational Training Unit, departed from RAF Stockbridge on September 22, 1941. Pilot Flight Lieutenant Caradoc Bowden-Davies (April 12, 1917 – September 22, 1941) was the only occupant. L4810 impacted with Lysander L4779, which was damaged but the aircraft and passengers survived. Lysander L4810 crashed on the Salisbury Plain. Bowden-Davies’s daughter Cara (1942 – ????) was born after his death. Lysander L4795 was built to contract 555425/36 by The Westland Aircraft Company, Limited, at Yeovil and was awaiting collection in March 1939. It was then taken on charge shortly after by Number 16 Squadron who were then based at Old Sarum. It later moved with them on February 16, 1940, to Hawkinge and on April 14, 1940, with the unit to Bertrangles, France to serve there. It then became a veteran of the Battle of France. On May 19, 1940, Number 16 Squadron withdrawn to Lympne and then to various RAF bases over the next 2 years. On an unknown date Lysander L4795 was transferred to Odiham for Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit (AACU) duties. The unit in residence there was a detachment from 8th AACU. On February 17, 1941, Number 116 Squadron was formed from Number 1 Anti-Aircraft Calibration Flight at Hatfield, and the aircraft was taken on charge by them soon after. 116 Squadron moved to Hendon on April 24, 1941, and Heston on April 20, 1942, but had a detachment at Leconfield in August 1942 which L4795 was part. On August 6, 1942, the crew of this Number 116 Squadron aircraft were engaged in calibrating anti-aircraft defense systems and was flying in the Howden area when it struck high voltage electric cables at 1200 Hours which crossed a field near the road between Boothferry Bridge and Knedlington. The aircraft is believed to have been based at Leconfield on detachment though its parent airfield was Heston. The aircraft was flying very low, just before hitting the cables and had flown through a gap in Winter’s Wood from the direction of Howden Dyke. Flying at crop height as it approached the cables, it lifted slightly and flew into them head on, cartwheeling and coming to rest in a dry ditch. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Paul R. E. Jenkins (February 22, 1917 – August 6, 1942) was thrown from the aircraft in the crash; unfortunately he was already dead. But the wireless operator / air gunner Sergeant Aubrey J. Hawksworth (December 16, 1919 – 2014) remained trapped and injured in the remains of the aircraft. A local farmer, John “Bob” Walker (???? – ????), was working nearby and had witnessed the crash, he was 1st on the scene and rescued Hawksworth from the wreckage. I suppose I should have been frightened, but it did not seem real,” recalled Walker. “My two horses, on the other hand were terrified, they were only young. I could not believe what I was seeing, the little plane fell apart as it cart-wheeled, tail over wingtip, across the field, pieces breaking off and scattering all over the place until it came to rest in the dry ditch.” “Everything was quiet now apart from the airman who was trapped by his harness in what was left of the aircraft. At first I thought he was German, and then it dawned on me, what sounded like German was Anglo-Saxon swearing.” The surrealism of the situation he now found himself in stayed with Bob Walker for a very long time. The injured airman was treated by the local doctor before being taken to York Military Hospital and treated for his serious injuries, he was later treated at East Grinstead and became a member of the “Guinea Pig Club.” His right hand was amputated as a result of this accident. As a result of the crash near Howden on August 6, 1942, Category E2/FA damage (Scrapped as a result of flying accident) was the assessment and Lysander L4795 was written off. A memorial sycamore was planted on the crash site in 1998. Parts of Lysander L4795 were recovered in August 2007. Lysander L4813 was destroyed in air combat during the Battle of Belgium. The aircraft failed to return from operations over the Dyle Line and was lost over Meerdaalwoud, Bierbeek, near Leuven, on May 15, 1940. L4813 departed Douai, France with Pilot Officer Alan C. Ollerenshaw (September 9, 1920 – May 15, 1940) and Charles F. Lucas (1917 – May 15, 1940). The RAF Lysander encountered Messerschmitt Bf-110s; Aircraft burnt out and a write-off. Possibly shot down by Oberleutnant Willi Fronhöfer (???? – 2015) of Staffel Neun/Jagdgeschwader 26. Both crew fatalities were buried at Leuven Communal Cemetery, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0835.jpg |
| Image Size | 193.47 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1605 x 1199 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 1, 1939 |
| Location | |
| City | Salisbury |
| State or Province | Wiltshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | Royal Air Force Museum |
| Record Number | P014429 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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