16th July, 1949. Two Seafires near Wildboarclough

No 1831 Squadron of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was based at RNAS Stretton and flew Seafire F.17s. On the 16th July, 1949 Seafires, SP325 piloted by Lieutenant Frank Dyke and SX314 piloted by Lieutenant Edward Eccles both left Stretton on a formation flying training sortie.

Shortly after leaving Stretton, Lieutenant Eccles who was acting as Lead Pilot hit poor visibility and unbeknown to him had began drifting further and further East to the high ground that forms the start of the Peak District.  He ended up flying on instruments that were telling him that he was 1,500ft above sea level.

Both Seafire’s impacted the high ground of Tagsclough Hill at high speed, Eccles hitting a dry stone wall, Dyke who was concentrating on his leader followed him into the ground. A local farmer witnessed the crash, he recalled seeing the two Seafires tear across the field , just skimming the ground, crashing just yards from where he stood.

Both pilots died, with the wreckage of the two Seafires being found close to where the wreckage of B-17G, 43-38944 lay.