60th Anniversary of Lancaster Bomber Crash
Special Assembly

On February 4th 1946 a Lancaster Bomber came down in Wigston after being struck by lightening killing all six crew members. This year will be the 60th Anniversary and our school commemorated the event by holding a special assembly on Friday 10th February. A representative from the Polish RAF Association was presented with a book containing; paper cuttings, military information and children’s work, there was also a talk by Squadron leader McKenzie for the British RAF.

Squadron Leader Kevin McKenzie in charge of RAF Wittering and Col. Marek Lisiak defence attache from the Polish embassy

These people either witnessed the crash, or have connections with people who did. On the far right is Mr Alan Kind whose uncle was the headteacher at the time of the crash.

Mrs Mary Lawson, Headteacher, presents Col. Marek Lisiak with a scrapbook of information about the crash, prepared by the school.

Mrs Mary Lawson, Headteacher, presents Col. Marek Lisiak with a model of the Lancaster made by a parent.

Laying flowers in front of the memorial tablet to the air crew. Squadron Leader Kevin McKenzie, Col. Marek Lisiak & his wife, and Deputy Commander of RAF Wittering.

The Memorial Tablet

Col. Lisiak plants a beech tree in the grounds of the school to replace the beech which was destroyed when the bomber came down.

Items from the crash scene on display in the school

Items from the crash scene on display in the school

Section of the original beech tree with part of the plane embedded in it.

The bomber was on a routine flight from Faldingworth, Lincolnshire. It is believed that the plane was hit by lightning in a massive thunderstorm, and in an attempt to avoid the densely populated area of Wigston, the pilot made for an open field behind Wigston's Long Street Modern School (now known as All Saint's CofE School). The Lancaster crashed in flames at about 1.15pm. on Monday 4 Feb 1946. It missed the school by less than 10 feet, and broke into fragments. The crew of 6, Polish servicemen, were all killed, but no one on the ground was killed, although about 83 houses were affected, with shattered windows and damaged roofs. One house in particular, 'The Beeches' on Aylestone Lane, was badly damaged. An eight-foot crater was left in the field. The pilot of the bomber was Wing-Commander Sulinski, who took over as a last-minute substitute for another pilot.