Plane crash in Rhyl
Last updated: 30 April 2008
Q:Hilary from Trawsfynydd seek further information on a possible plane crash in Rhyl: "My uncle, Randal Garrett from Northern Ireland, was the only survivor in a plane that crashed on (I think) Rhyl beach in winter during the war. It was a flight from RAF Aldergrove. He was a member of the Auxillary Airforce. He died in the 1950's.
My childhood memories of the story told by his sisters was that despite his injuries he tried to stop the local people coming near the plane as it had a full bomb load on board. The family often spoke of their debt to these people who risked their lives to save his. The plane was on costal bomber patrol and I understant the controls froze up due to the severely cold weather.
I have recently learnt from his daughter (now living in America) that the crash site was North Wales and as we have moved to live here in 1999 I would like to find out more about it. She said that an ambulance took 7 hours to reach the crash site due to the snow. He was taken to Rhyl hospital for a while and then transferred to a RAF hospital in Aylesbury. He had 9 operations on his leg as he would not let them amputate it. Better a short leg than no leg! I remember as a child that he limped as he had a plate in his leg and was often in pain as splinters of bone moved. There was a request from someone on the site mentioning a crash at Prestatyn of a plane from Aldergrove in Jan 1940 and I wondered if this was the same crash. My cousin thought that he crashed in Nov or Dec but she was only a small child at the time."
your comments
Jonathan Herron
Hilary from Trawsfynydd, please can you make contact. I believe that my great uncle was on the same flight. We are trying to find information on the whereabouts of the crash site in relation to Prestatyn. We are also interested in what happened to the remains of the plane.
Wed Apr 30 09:03:41 2008
Jonathan Herron from Merthyr Tydfil
Helen McClure, Thomas was my grandmother's brother. Thomas had a brother called James or Jim and a sister called Peggy. I have some pictures I think they could be of Thomas and maybe Jim.
Wed Apr 16 09:26:14 2008
Helen McClure
Jonathan Herron please make contact - my great uncle was also Thomas Christopher McClure and he died in a plane crash (I thought off Northern Ireland) during WW2. Is this the same person? He had a brother James and a sister Peggy.
Tue Mar 4 15:52:20 2008
Jonathan Herron
I believe this could be the same crash that my great uncle Thomas Christopher McClure died in. I have found some pictures of him with fellow crewmen. If you can help me contact me.
Wed Jan 24 09:31:09 2007
David Smith, Bagillt
This was almost certainly Avro Anson N5050 of No 502 Squadron, then based at Aldergrove in Northern Ireland but with a section at RAF Hooton Park, Wirral. This aircraft crashed in a snowstorm near Prestatyn on 19 Jan 1940. At this time Ansons were still being used for anti-submarine patrols but were relegated to a training role later inthe war.
Mon Feb 13 22:10:28 2006
