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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Vickers Wellington Z8863

    115 Squadron, Crew of Wellington Z8863 (KO-G) Memorial

    Source: Copyright Mark Twiddy

    1/16

    Current Location

    Entrance to the Nature Reserve is in Longhill Road, Whitemore Prison Nature Reserve, Longhill Road, March, Fenland, Cambridgeshire, PE15 0PR, England

    OS Grid Reference

    TL 41828 98050

    View location on Google Maps

    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-97848

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    Type of Memorial
    Composite
    WMR Reference Number
    97848
    Description
    Two low brick pillars, to which flagpoles are fixed: one carrying the Royal Air Force flag, the other the Union Flag. The pillars mark the beginning of an avenue of 10 trees (each with an associated metal plaque on a low wooden post), which lead to a low brick wall on which a rectangular brass plaque on a wooden backboard is fixed. The wall-mounted plaque incorporates the coloured crests of RAF Bomber Command (on the left) and of 115 Squadron (on the right). Each of the plaques beside nine of the trees is engraved with the rank, name and service number of one of the crewmen/passengers who died; beside the tenth tree is a plaque bearing the badge of 115 Squadron. Near the avenue of trees is an Information board, which records details of the crash.
    Inscription
    (Plaque on wall): This memorial is dedicated to the crew/ of/ Wellington Mk 1c Z8863 KO-G/ of 115 Squadron/ Crashed here on November 24th 1941/ with the loss of all crew (Tree plaques 1-9): (names) (Tree plaque 10): 115 Squadron/ Royal air force/ Despite the Elements
    War
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Number Commemorated
    9
    Died
    9
    Information shown
    Rank, forename, surname, service number, role of flight
    Order of names
    Each of the nine casualties' details is inscribed on a separate plaque.
    Maker(s)
    • Government Facility Services Limited (GFSL), Manufacturer

    Costs
    £0

    Ceremonies

    Dedicated

    18 August 2021

    RAF Wittering Chaplain, Reverend Squadron Leader Andrew Tucker conducted the dedication service.

    Components

    Plaque

    Made from: Brass


    Condition: Good


    Backboard

    Made from: Wood


    Condition: Good


    Wall

    Made from: Brick


    Condition: Good


    Flagpole

    Made from: Brick


    Condition: Good


    Plaques / Panels with names

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Good


    Tree

    Made from: Wood


    Condition: Good


    • Cambs Times online reported on 6/7/2020 that a memorial was being planned for the crash-site of the aircraft. Under the headline: 'Memorial at HMP Whitemoor planned to remember plane crash victims during Second World War', mention was made that an avenue of 10 trees would be provided by the Ministry of Justice, with 9 of the trees having a plaque inscribed with the details of each casualty, and the 10th plaque inscribed with the 115 Squadron's badge and motto. https://www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/cambridgeshire-prison-plans-to-unveil-war-memorial-4915082
    • Peterborough Today online, Thursday 19/8/2021, reported details of the dedication service that had taken place the previous day. That report opened: 'On 24 November 1941 a Vickers Wellington bomber (Z8863) of No 115 Squadron from RAF Marham crashed approximately two miles outside March in Cambridgeshire with the loss of the entire crew. The crash site sits within a nature reserve owned by the Ministry of Justice as part of the HMP Whitemoor estate. The history of the site was bought to the prison’s attention by Andrew Wood, a worker with Government Facility Services Limited (GFSL). Together with Senior Site Manager Mark Twiddy, the team from GFSL designed and built a special memorial to the crew of Z8863. Using reclaimed and unused materials, and with the GFSL team working in their own time, the memorial was completed at no cost to the taxpayer. Yesterday a service was held to mark the opening of the memorial...' (The report also stated that a delegation from RAF Wittering attended the service, along with local townsfolk/dignitaries and prison staff, that the service was taken by RAF Wittering Chaplain, Reverend Squadron Leader Andrew Tucker, with contributions from Reverend Andrew Smith of St Peter’s Church, March, Father Jacob Cheriyan, Roman Catholic Chaplain at HMP Whitemoor, and that words of thanks were given by Martyn Phillips, a relative of crewmember Sgt Henry O’Shea; the last post was played by Prison Officer Terry Knight). https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/people/service-pays-tribute-to-raf-bomber-crew-who-died-in-war-crash-near-peterborough-3351412?page=2
    • Further information about the construction of the memorial and details of the nine men who died in the crash (including 3 groundcrew who were aboard) can be found at https://115squadron-raf.be/New faces 2020/new faces 2020.html and https://115squadron-raf.be/crews/Wellington Mk IC - Z8863 - KO-G.html