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Many thanks to Gary Nelson for kindly providing crash site photos for this page.
Copyright Notice These photos remain the property of the original authors, and may not be reproduced elsewhere without their prior written permission.
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Aircraft Type Photo
BELOW: An RCAF Handley Page Halifax bomber in flight. This is an earlier variant of the type featured below.
Photo: Pre 1949. Public domain.
Aircraft Type and Background
RCAF Handley Page Halifax Mk V / LL505 FD-S
(Click hyperlink above for RAF history of this type)
The original design of this aircraft was for a twin-engine bomber using Rolls-Royce Vulture engines. However, during development, the plans were altered to produce a four-engine aircraft using the more powerful Merlin X engines.
The Mk I version of the Halifax was equipped with two .303 Browning machine guns in the nose turret, with another two in the centre of the fuselage and four in the rear turret. In the Mk II series, the nose turret guns and the guns in the fuselage waist area were deleted. A a Boulton Paul twin-gun turret gun was installed in the dorsal position to replace the waist guns.
In time, other versions and variants followed with greater improvements. The type featured on this page was a Halifax Mk. V.
Equipped to carry a crew of seven, the Halifax entered service with RAF Bomber Command in 1940.
Aircraft Accident Details
Handley Page Halifax LL505 FD-S crashed on Great Carrs while on a night navigation exercise (NAVEX) from RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire.
While flying over the Lake District, the crew encountered very heavy cloud and mist. To enable the navigator to obtain a visual fix on the ground, the pilot descended through the thick cloud. This action, however, brought him below safe flying altitude for this area. Very soon afterward, the Halifax struck the ground close to the summit of Great Carrs. Sadly, all on board perished.
Following the crash, much of the aircraft remained intact. If left like this, the wreck could have been mistaken for a recent crash by aircraft flying overhead and reported to the authorities for immediate rescue and recovery action. To prevent this, the Halifax was cut up by RAF recovery teams and the sections pushed from Great Carrs into Broad Slack. Two wing sections and other parts can be found at this location.
Two of the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines were recovered from the crash site by an RAF Chinook helicopter some time after the accident. One is now on display at the Ruskin Museum, Coniston. Another is at the RAF Museum in London. Other parts were removed from the site to Yorkshire Air Museum and to Newark Air Museum.
Aircraft Crew Casualties
Those who died in this tragic accident were:
(Please click on hyperlinked names above for further details)
Crash Site Photos
BELOW: Memorial on the summit of Great Carrs to the crew of Halifax LL505 who died in this accident.
The small plaque on the cross reads:
Halifax Bomber LL505 - 'S' for Sugar R.C.A.F. October 22, 1944
Photo: © 2008 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Much of the remaining wreckage from Halifax LL505 lies among the boulders below Great Carrs. Shortly after the accident, the almost-intact aircraft was cut into sections by RAF recovery teams and pushed into the gulley below the crash site.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Another view of the wreckage among the boulders.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Two of the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines from Halifax LL505.
Since this photo was taken, at least one of these engines has been recovered for museum display.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: A closer view of one of the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines from the Halifax bomber.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
MORE PHOTOS BELOW
BELOW: Another Merlin engine.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Part of propeller / engine reduction gear.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Part of a wing section from the Halifax.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: One of the four Merlin engines from the Halifax bomber.
This engine was recovered from the crash site and is now on display at Ruskin Museum, Coniston. Another recovered engine is at an RAF Museum.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
BELOW: Another view of the recovered engine at Ruskin Museum, Coniston.
The wife of Gary Nelson, who kindly provided these photos, stands nearby.
Photo: © 2009 Gary Nelson
Photo Gallery
For additional, larger, photos, please select from the drop down Album Menu in the Photo Gallery.
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Crash Date / Site
Country: England
Accident Date: 22 Oct 1944
Accident Site: Great Carrs [map](780m / 2,558ft) (NW of Swirl How)
Region: Cumbria (Lakeland Fells)
Nearest town or village: Little Langdale orConiston
Nearest large town: Ambleside (E)
OS Grid Ref. N/A
GPS Ref: N/A
Present Condition: Small wreckage section beside memorial cairn on Great Carrs. Larger sections at Broad Slack.
Recovered engine at Ruskin Museum, Coniston. Other recovered parts at The Pathfinder Museum, RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow
Aircraft Details
Registration or Serial: LL505
Operator: RCAF (1659 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU))
Operating Base: RAF Topcliffe (Satellite Station for RAF Linton-on-Ouse)
Base Location: Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, England.
Current Base Status: RAF Station closed in 1972. Base transferred to Army. RAF returned in 1993 with Joint Elementary Flying Training School.
Current Base Name: Alanbrooke Barracks (Army)
Principal airport data courtesy of John Woodside, A Catalogue of UK Airfields
Related Links
Accident Specific Links Halifax on Great Carrs at YorkshireAircraft.co.uk (Photos of wreckage and aircrew graves) Memorial Service 2005 at Striding Edge
Museums The Pathfinder Museum, RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow
RAF and Related Links Forces Reunited at RAF Topcliffe RAF Handley Page Halifax (History) RAF Topcliffe (Bomber Command) The Wartime Memories Project - RAF Topcliffe
Other Links Handley Page Halifax at Wikipedia Handley Page Halifax at YouTube (Video with sound: 4:38 minutes) Handley Page Halifax at uboat.net
Hill Walking Links
(Hillwalking, Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Mountaineering, Kayaking, etc.)
England (North Cumbria / Lake District) David Hall - Lake District Walks at walkthefells.net (Includes map for Great Carrs together with photos of memorial) Lake District Walks (Down-loadable GPS data for walks) Outdoor Activities (Cumbria / The Lake District) Summitreks (Adventure Activities, Outdoor Courses, Activity Breaks, and more in the Lake District and Cumbria) Striding Edge (A photo diary of Lake District Fell Walks)
Scotland Hiking in the Highlands of Scotland Hillwalking (The Scottish Mountaineering Club) Hillwalking.org.uk (Equipment, etc.) Mountain Guides (Routes, maps, advice and guidance compiled by Steven Fallon) OutdoorScotland.co.uk (Directory of Clubs, Associations, and Mountain Rescue Teams) The Mountaineering Council of Scotland Scottish Winter Hillwalking Course WalkingScotland (The official Walking site of Scotland's national tourism organisation)
Other Outdoor Activities Backpacking and BackpackersCicerone (Backpacking Guides for Walking in the UK) Kayaking and CanoeingKayak Scotland (Sea Kayaking in Scotland) Kayaking at Active Scotland (Various venues)
Mountain BikingMountain Bike Trails (Forestry Commission Scotland) Mountain Biking at Active Scotland (Various venues)
Rock Climbing and AbseilingAbseiling Scotland (Various venues) Climbing, Scrambling and Abseiling Scotland Mountain Sports Courses and Paddle Sports Courses at Glenmore Lodge Rock Climbing at Scottish National Outdoor Training Centre (Skills Courses and Qualifications Courses) Rock Climbing in Scotland (Rock Climbing Areas) UKClimbing.com (UKC) (Includes Abseiling / Rappelling)
Trekking and HikingGairloch Trekking Centre (Pony Trekking in the Scottish Highlands) Pony and Quad Treks (North Wales) Ramblers (UK) Ramblers (Worldwide Holidays)
Emergency Services Link Register for Text 999 Emergency Service If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone.
Outdoor Gear Shops |
H.P. Halifax LL505
Great Carrs, Cumbria, England
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