Bomber Command Memorial Register

Cairnsmore of Fleet Memorial (7 Wartime Crashes)

VariousDumfries & GallowayMultiple (Heinkel III, Blackburn Botha, Avro Anson x5, F-4C Phantom)

Cairnsmore of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway

Comprehensive Record

The Memorial

Type
Rough-hewn stone with copper/bronze plaque (original lead lettering lost to frost); commemorates 7 wartime air crashes
Inscription
Erected in Memory of Airmen Killed on This Hill Cairnsmore of Fleet First Crash: Leutnant a Zeiss Age 25 Unteroffizier G T Von Turckheim Age 31 Unteroffizier W Hajesch Age 21 Unteroffizier W Mechsner Age 23 from Ng 1 Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 4 Soesterburg Air Base Holland the Aircraft a Heinkel III H4 Crashed on 8th August 1940 Second Crash: Aircraftsman D J Thom Age 20 from No 10 Air Observer School RAF Dumfries the Aircraft Blackburn Botha L6539 Crashed on 2nd March 1942 Third Crash: Sergeant a C H Allen Age 21 Mister W Paterson Age 31 from No 1 Observer Advanced Flying Unit of RAF Wigtown the Avro Anson Aircraft W2640 Crashed on 17th April 1942 Fourth Crash: Flight Sergeant B H Vye RCAF Age 21 Sergeant a W Hawkes Age 29 Leading Aircraftsman R D Hume Age 22 Leading Aircraftsman G a Horne Age 20 Aircraftsman G O M Rawson Age 20 from No 9 Air Gunners School RAF Llanowrog the Avro Anson DJ126 Crashed on 22nd September 1942

The names of all 5 crew members are inscribed on the memorial.

LocationVerified Location

Cairnsmore of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway, Dumfries & Galloway

what3words: ///vibrate.skyrocket.stone

What Happened

The aircraft took off from Dumfries at 20:17 for a route covering 380 miles, including stops at Silloth, Mull of Galloway, Rathlin Island, and Whithorn (south of Wigtown). The crew was to conduct an Infra-Red bombing exercise at Whithorn on both legs. Due to poor visibility, they did not carry out the IR bombing exercise.

Community Connection

The memorial was created and shared by Samson Hedley, who is credited as the photographer (WMR-71898).

Remembrance

Do you know of any commemorative events or annual services held at this memorial? We would love to hear from local communities who remember.

Share remembrance information

Aircraft & Operation Details

Aircraft Type
Multiple (Heinkel III, Blackburn Botha, Avro Anson x5, F-4C Phantom)
Serial Number
Various (H4, L6539, W2640, DJ126, EG485, N9589, W5140, 68-0566)
Squadron
Various
Date of Loss
1940-08-08

Crew (5 members)

RankNameRoleAgeNationalityFateBurial / Status
Sergeant
Norman James McLeod
Pilot——Killed—
Pilot Officer
Percy J Lalonde
Navigator—CanadianInjured—
Pilot Officer
John Morgan Cooley
Bomb Aimer—CanadianKilled—
Warrant Officer
Jack James Mount Ward
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner (Instructor)——Killed—
Flight Sergeant
Mervyn Charles Simpson
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner (u/t)—AustralianKilled—

Local Contacts

These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.

Dumfries Branch, Legion Scotlandlegion scotland

Local remembrance and memorial support

Further Reading

IWM War Memorials RegisterRetrieved 2026-03-23

IWM records the memorial commemorating seven wartime air crashes and one post-war crash on Cairnsmore of Fleet. The rough-hewn stone memorial was originally dedicated on 8 August 1980 with lead lettering, later replaced by a copper/bronze plaque after frost damage.

What you'll find: Detailed records of seven WW2 air crashes commemorated at Cairnsmore of Fleet, including memorial descriptions and condition updates.

IWM reference: memorial/71898Original dedication: 8 August 1980Re-dedication with new plaque: 9 August 2007

War Memorials OnlineRetrieved 2026-03-23

War Memorials Online documents the Cairnsmore of Fleet memorial, noting it commemorates airmen from multiple nations including a German Heinkel crew from Kampfgeschwader 4 who crashed on 8 August 1940 while laying mines off Belfast.

What you'll find: Detailed records of Cairnsmore of Fleet WW2 airmen, including German crew from Kampfgeschwader 4 who crashed in 1940.

WMO reference: 215109First crash: German Heinkel from KG4, 8 August 1940German crew lost while mine-laying off Belfast

Peak District Air Accident Research documents one of the Cairnsmore crashes involving Anson EG485, providing detailed analysis of the multiple crash sites on the mountain and the training routes that made it a persistent hazard.

What you'll find: Detailed crash analysis and multiple site mapping of Anson EG485 at Cairnsmore of Fleet during WW2 training flights.

Multiple crash sites documented on the mountainTraining routes from RAF Dumfries, Wigtown, and West Freugh

Sources

IWM War Memorials Register (retrieved 2026-03-23)
War Memorials Online (retrieved 2026-03-23)
IWM (memorial/71898) (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-04-09

Do you have additional information, photographs, or corrections for this record? We welcome contributions from researchers, families, and local communities.

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