Handley Page Halifax LL505
0.1 miles away
Cumbria
Great Carrs Halifax Memorial
Great Carrs, Coniston, Cumbria / Lake District
Comprehensive Record
Photographs
The Memorial
Cairn with wooden cross and plaque on fell; aircraft wreckage remains at site.
Type
Cairn with wooden cross and plaque; aircraft wreckage (undercarriage) remains at site
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationVerified Location
Great Carrs, Coniston, Cumbria / Lake District, Cumbria
what3words: ///cape.timer.shunning
What Happened
The crew, formed at 82 OTU and posted to 1659 HCU on 9 September 1944, were building hours before joining an operational squadron. Sgt Ferguson had been assigned as their regular flight engineer, while Sgt Pyche was flying as a supernumerary to add logbook hours. As the Halifax flew over the Lake District, it became enveloped in thick cloud. Pilot F/O Johnston descended below the cloud base so his navigator could obtain a visual fix on the ground. But the crew had no knowledge of what lay below. Emerging from cloud, they were confronted by the great rising fells of Swirl How and Great Carrs. There was no time to react. The aircraft, travelling from west to east, failed to clear the ridge by a few feet and went over the edge, crashing far down the precipice. All eight crew were killed. The youngest -- Ferguson and Titt -- were just 19. Six of the seven Canadians are buried together at Blacon Cemetery, Chester, far from home. Over the years, two of the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines were recovered by RAF helicopter; one is now on display at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.
Community Connection
Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
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 informationAircraft & Operation Details
Aircraft Type
Halifax
Serial Number
LL505 "S for Sugar"
Squadron
1659 HCU
Station
Topcliffe
Date of Loss
1944-10-22
Operation Type
Training
Cause of Loss
Pilot descended below cloud base to obtain visual fix; aircraft failed to clear ridge by a few feet
Crew (9 members)
About the Crew
F/O John Armstrong Johnston(age 27)Pilot
Killed when Halifax LL505 failed to clear the ridge of Great Carrs by a few feet. Johnston had descended below cloud to obtain a visual fix but was confronted by the rising fells.
A 27-year-old Canadian pilot from the RCAF, Johnston was building flying hours at 1659 HCU before posting to an operational squadron.
F/O Francis Aubrey Bell(age 33)Navigator
Killed when Halifax LL505 struck the ridge of Great Carrs on 22 October 1944.
P/O Robert Newton Whitley(age 20)Bomb Aimer
Killed when Halifax LL505 struck the ridge of Great Carrs on 22 October 1944.
Sgt William Brisbane Ferguson(age 19)Flight Engineer
Killed in the crash. Ferguson was the sole British member of the crew, just 19 years old. He was the crew's regular flight engineer.
The only British member of the crew, Ferguson was assigned as their regular flight engineer. He is buried separately from the Canadians at New Monkland Cemetery, Lanarkshire.
Sgt Calvin George Whittingstall(age 20)W/Op Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax LL505 struck the ridge of Great Carrs on 22 October 1944.
Sgt Donald Fraser Titt(age 19)Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax LL505 struck the ridge of Great Carrs on 22 October 1944.
Sgt George Riddoch(age 20)Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax LL505 struck the ridge of Great Carrs on 22 October 1944.
Sgt Harvey Ellsworth Pyche(age 21)Flight Engineer (supernumerary)
Killed in the crash. Pyche was flying as a supernumerary to add logbook hours, not as part of the regular crew.
Memorial Care
national trust
Organisation
Lake District National Park Authority
Website
Cairn with wooden cross and plaque on fell; aircraft wreckage remains at site.
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Kendal Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Further Reading
IWM War Memorials RegisterRetrieved 2026-03-23
Imperial War Museum register entry for the Halifax LL505 FD-S memorial on Great Carrs. Records the cairn with wooden cross and plaques commemorating the eight crew of 1659 HCU who died on 22 October 1944.
What you'll find: Explore the Great Carrs Halifax Memorial: Discover the poignant tribute to fallen crew members from 1659 HCU.
Memorial reference 13028. Cairn with wooden cross. Metal and slate plaques list all eight names.
War Memorials OnlineRetrieved 2026-03-23
War Memorials Online listing for the Halifax LL505 memorial on Great Carrs fell, Lake District. Documents the memorial's remote hillside location and the crew details.
What you'll find: Explore Halifax Memorial Documentation at War Memorials Online.
Memorial reference 175022. Accessible via fell walk from Wrynose Pass or Wetherlam approach.
TracesOfWar.comRetrieved 2026-03-23
TracesOfWar entry for the Halifax LL505 'S for Sugar' crash site. Substantial wreckage remains visible including undercarriage components. Two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines were recovered by RAF helicopter; one is on display at the Ruskin Museum, Coniston.
What you'll find: Explore the preserved wreckage and two recovered Rolls-Royce Merlin engines at Halifax LL505 'S for Sugar' crash site.
Six of seven Canadians are buried at Blacon Cemetery, Chester. The sole British crew member (Sgt Ferguson) is buried at New Monkland Cemetery, Lanarkshire. Site is within the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Yorkshire AircraftRetrieved 2026-03-23
Detailed account of the Halifax LL505 crash. The crew took off from Topcliffe at 14:05 and by 18:56 had become lost in thick cloud over the Lake District. The aircraft descended to obtain a visual fix but failed to clear the ridge of Great Carrs by a few feet.
What you'll find: Detailed account of Halifax LL505 crash involving crew's struggle amidst thick clouds over Lake District.
Crew formed at 82 OTU and posted to 1659 HCU on 9 September 1944. Sgt Pyche was flying as a supernumerary to add logbook hours. Bomber remained largely intact after crash; wreckage was cut up and scattered down Broad Slack.
Nearby Memorials
Sources
IWM War Memorials Register (retrieved 2026-03-23)
War Memorials Online (retrieved 2026-03-23)
TracesOfWar.com (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Yorkshire Aircraft (retrieved 2026-03-23)
IWM (memorial/13028); warmemorialsonline.org.uk (memorial/175022); Wikipedia (Great Carrs) (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.
Suggest a correction or addition