Parish History
Lancaster Bomber Fly Over
Copy of Articl from North Devon Journal A POIGNANT two minute silence and a fly-over by a Lancaster Bomber marked the lives of seven servicemen who died in a wartime aircrash in Langtree.Descendants of the seven man crew and representatives from the services gathered in the village to unveil a memorial.
The Halifax bomber went down at Buda Farm in Langtree near the village's parish church, killing the seven man crew on August 27, 1943.
More than 100 people watched the Devon stone memorial being unveiled near the village hall this morning (Thursday).
The relatives of those who died in the crash will be planting a tree at Buda Farm and visiting their graves at Heanton near Braunton.
The men, who were all under 30 years old, were on a last training flight and were returning from a mission to bomb Brest in France, where the aircraft had been damaged.
The DG412 made it back to England, but was refused permission to land at Chivenor near Barnstaple. The airfield at Winkleigh was unable to accept large aircraft and while between the two stations the plane crashed — landing in Langtree and killing those aboard.
Those who died were pilot, Sgt John Peter Williams, 20; Sgt Raymond Frederick Stainsby, navigator, aged 20; Sgt George Rogerson Wheatley, flight engineer, aged 18; Flt Off William Henry Graham, bomb aimer, aged 28; Sgt James Taylor, wireless operator aged 23; Flt Sgt Peter Chadwick Bartle, mid-upper gunner, aged 29 and Sgt Hugh Patrick Henry, rear gunner, aged 22.
For the full story see North Devon Journal
Video Clip of Langtree Church Bells
The following clip is from 16 December 1993 when Langtree Chruch bells where rehung following the repair of the church towerMapping the Parish Grave Yard
The details of the Mapping project are located on the Parish Church section Here