Remembering the tragic 1945 Corley plane crash that killed five, including women and children, 80 years later near Coventry.
The plane crashed on Kingswood Avenue, part of the Corley Estate. Sleeping families were impacted just before the war ended, and other homes were damaged. One bungalow, called Morgagen, took the brunt of the impact.
A big explosion ripped through the home, likely from a fuel tank rupture. Three sisters and two young children died in the explosion.
An inquest occurred at the Horse and Jockey in Corley days later. The deaths were ruled a tragic accident, and the victims’ names were listed. Alice Markham, 33 and single, Hilda Sands, 31 and married, and Patricia Sands, six, were among the deceased. Kathlyn Harris, 29 and widowed, and Molly Harris, five years old, also perished.
All died instantly from injuries or suffocation, likely asleep when the plane struck. Joseph Stafford, who lived on Foleshill Road in Coventry, identified them.
Newspapers mentioned the plane flying low around 3:15 AM. It clipped trees and downed wires before crashing into the Markham’s home. Firefighters arrived quickly, and it took five hours to control the fire. A Coventry team recovered the victims’ bodies.
Parliament discussed the crash later, noting the plane was on a training exercise when it hit a pole and crashed. People speculated that the altimeter might have failed. The aircrew also died in the accident.
John Billett, 27, from Hayes, Kent, was the pilot. Leonard Davies, 35, was the navigator, and Frank Stroud, 22, was the wireless operator.
The investigation found the pilot flew too low in cloud cover without knowing his position. His altimeter may not have been set correctly.