Memorial

Purley Hospital Hawker Hurricane L1976 Crash

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Current Location

On north wall inside original cottage hospital, Purley War Memorial Hospital, 856, Brighton Road, Purley, Croydon, Greater London, CR8 2YL, England

TQ 31420 61830

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Type of Memorial: Photograph
WMR Reference Number: 44067
Description: TWO PHOTOGRAPHS, ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ONE OF THE PILOT
Inscription: THE ABOVE PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN BY NURSING SISTER OLIVE JOHNSON ON THE 8TH SEPTEMBER 1939. THE AIRCRAFT SHOWN IS IS A HURRICANE MARK I, SERIAL NO. L 1976, WHICH CRASHED INTO THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE NEW EXTENSION TO PURLEY HOSPITAL IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THAT MORNING. THE AIRCRAFT, FROM 17 SQUADRON - CROYDON, WAS RETURNING FROM AN EXERCISE OVER LONDON. IT STALLED AT 300 FEET, HIT THE ROOF OF THE NURSES' HOME AND FLIPPED OVER ON IT'S [SIC] BACK. THE COCKPIT AREA MIRACULOUSLY FELL INTO A DEEP TRENCH, UNDOUBTEDLY SAVING THE LIFE OF IT'S [SIC] PILOT. HE WAS FLIGHT LIEUTENANT MINDEN VAUGHAN BLAKE A NEW ZEALANDER, AND HE SUFFERED ONLY A LARGE CUT ON HIS FOREHEAD WHICH REQUIRED EIGHTEEN STITCHES AND AN OVERNIGHT STAY IN THE HOSPITAL. "MINDY" BLAKE FLEW WITH DISTINCTION DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN AND HE CONTINUED OPERATIONAL FLYING UNTIL HE WAS SHOT DOWN AND TAKEN PRISONER IN AUGUST 1942. IN 1946 HE RESUMED HIS RAF CAREER SERVING UNTIL 1958 WHEN HE RETIRED. LIVING IN SURREY, HE BECAME AN INVENTOR AND AUTHOR WITH A SPECIAL LOVE OF GOLF. HE DIED IN 1981.

Memorial

Made from: Paper

Condition: Poor