The Lossiemouth community has come together to remember the lives lost in 1945 when a Wellington aircraft crashed in Church Street within the town.
Military personnel and members of the local community gathered to attend a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate 80 years since the Lossiemouth Wellington crash.
A total of 11 lives were lost when the aircraft, operating out of RAF Lossiemouth, crashed into a block of houses in Church Street. The 3 aircrew onboard the aircraft, together with 8 civilians on the ground, tragically lost their lives.
Of the civilian victims, 6 were from the same family, who resided on the top floor of a property which was set ablaze by the crash. Mrs Flood, along with 5 of her children, perished whereas her husband, John Flood, survived with his daughter Jeannie, whom he had rescued from the flames. An explosion prevented him from returning to the property to save more of his family.
The aircraft, a Wellington operated by 20 Operational Training Unit (OTU), had taken off from RAF Lossiemouth to conduct a training flight. Shortly after 10am it descended unexpectedly and crashed into the street. Post-crash investigations revealed the cause was likely engine failure.
World War 2 in Europe had ended with VE Day 11 days before the crash, adding to the devastation of this unexpected tragedy. The community, once again, found itself coming together to mourn the loss of loved ones.
The memorial for the crash is in the centre of Church Road and was erected in 1995 to commemorate 50 years since the crash. The surviving daughter of the flood family, Jeannie, returned to Lossiemouth at the time to unveil the plaque.
Today, wreaths were laid at the plaque and a minute’s silence held in memory of the victims whose lives were cut too short, 80 years ago.
Gone but never forgotten:
Plt Off Rickard
Fg Off Cameron
Sgt Mawby
Mrs J Flood (Nee Phimister)
Mst J Flood
Mst J Flood
Mst S Flood
Mst G Flood
Mst D Flood
Mrs E Allan
Miss V Drummond
