Planes, Trains & Automobiles

[WillEm]

That time I managed to drive onto Bentwaters.

Haha, I was there a while after I finished my time in uniform, they'd bought some of the airframes I flew in!

 

[Mikeymutt]

Some from random wanderings over the years. Excuse the quality from some pics from earlier years.

 

[The Young One]

Some from random wanderings over the years. Excuse the quality from some pics from earlier years.

Some real beauty's in there mate

 

[WillEm]

Expedition to Recover the RAF Blenheim Bomber Z7763 on Mount Kenya​

In late September 2016, while deployed in Kenya on a Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) detachment as the defence heli-handling Instructor training the incoming battlegroups on how to conduct emergency evacuations from austere locations by helicopter I was approached by Capt M, an officer with the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) who had been tasked to organise this expedition. I was invited to participate in a recce expedition to locate the crash site of an RAF Blenheim bomber, Z7763.

The mission aimed to recover the remains of the South African Air Force aircrew who perished in the crash:

• 2Lt Charles Allen
• 2Lt Hendrik Lemmer
• Air Sgt Simon Eliastam
• Air Sgt Lloyd Murray

The crew, part of 72 Operational Training Unit (OTU) South African Air Force, were on a training sortie out of Nanyuki. During their return, they presumably became disoriented in cloud cover and tragically crashed into Mount Kenya. The crew was lost, and their remains were never recovered.

The Initial Discovery​

Fourteen years ago, a local discovered the wreckage and reported it to BATUK. Two teams had previously visited the site. One team documented and buried the remains in an accessible location for future recovery, while the second team, originating from the Jungle Warfare Centre in Kathendini, conducted a thorough recce, providing a detailed report of the site and wreckage. Unfortunately, we were unaware of this report during our initial expedition.

First Recce Expedition​

On 6th October 2016, our team consisting of Capt Thompson, Tom Lawrence (a local historian), two rangers from the Kenyan Wildlife Service, and myself set off to locate the crash site. The mission was divided into two phases:

1. Phase 1: Driving to our base camp at Kamweti, which served as the initial drop-off point and primary helicopter landing site (HLS).
2. Phase 2: Trekking on foot through dense bamboo, following game trails and cutting paths where necessary to search for the wreckage.

After two days of extensive searching, we were unable to locate the crash site based on the grid we had. On returning to base, Capt Thompson gathered more data and uncovered the recce report, which provided new grid coordinates further south.

Second Expedition​

A second expedition was planned for 23rd October 2016, with an expanded team that included:

• Maj Gen Opperman, who is dedicated to recovering the remains of South African soldiers
• Monet Eliastam, a freelance photojournalist and great-niece of Air Sgt Eliastam
• Danie Hefers from SABC, a producer of the show ‘Fokus’
• Tom Gregory of African Ascents, along with two porters
• Tom Lawrence, a local historian

We made slow and progress through the bamboo, camping overnight before our final search. With new coordinates in hand, hope remained high.

The Discovery of Z7763​

The next day, after an extensive search around the new grid and nearly deciding to abandon the search, Tom Gregory stumbled upon crushed and folded aluminum. As we looked further, we found more wreckage, and 30 meters down the slope, we discovered the remains of Z7763, buried under 14 years of nature reclaiming the site.

With water supplies running low, I organized a replenishment by air. The crew from BASS, led by Capt Ibbotson, Capt Jones, and ACM LCpl Cooper, successfully navigated the challenging HLS and resupplied us, allowing us to stay an additional day to search for the remains of the crew.

Unfortunately, despite the extended search, no human remains were found. Instead, Maj Gen Opperman elected to collect four bags of soil from the crash site, hoping the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) would allow it to be buried in lieu of the remains.

Commemoration and Closure​

At the crash site, we made a cross from parts of the wreckage and placed it near the cockpit. We held a minute’s silence to honor the fallen crew, then began the long descent from the mountain.

Although the physical remains were not recovered, we hope the recovery of soil and documentation of the site will bring some closure to the families, especially Monet, who had heard stories of her great uncle's disappearance throughout her life.

Approval was granted from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to bury the soil at the Nanyuki CWGC Cemetery. A burial service was held, with some of the families of the crew in attendance. The ceremony was a deeply emotional moment, offering peace to the spirits of the fallen airmen as they now rest in the shadow of Mount Kenya. For the families, it brought long-awaited closure after 74 years of uncertainty and loss.

1. An intact Bristol Blenheim

2. Some stills from GoPro of the terrain

3. The initial discovery of the main wreckage

4. After some excavation we uncovered the wing sections, the rear tailplane section and various parts, some identifiable others less so.

5. A fitting conclusion

Without a doubt one of the most rewarding experiences of my time in uniform.

 

[Mikeymutt]

Some real beauty's in there mate

Thanks pal

 

[Lenston]