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Memorial details

Memorial type
Pillar / Column
District
Skye And Lochalsh
Town
Staffin
County
Highland
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Boer War; Second (1899-1902)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: Late September 1921
    Attended by: Miss Livingstone of Flodigarry
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
6038

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Current location

At the road junction
immediately below the main road in a small garden area between old and new bridges.
Below the Columba 1400 building
near Tighean Na Glibe
Staffin
Skye And Lochalsh
Highland
IV51 9QE
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NG 48956 67403
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • Near a Choille Bheag
    A855 And Minor Road To Staffin Slip
    Stenshall
    Skye And Lochalsh
    Highland
    Scotland

    OS Grid Ref: NG 483 680
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
Draped urn surmounting a thick square pillar on stone block plinth and four stepped base. Inscription in black lettering on two sides of the plinth. There is a pair of boots, used as "plant pots" at each corner. In 2014 a plaque was added for the 9 crewmen of a B17G Flying Fortress aircraft, flying from the USA to RAF Valley via Iceland which crashed at Trotternish on 3 March 1945. The whole is in a small garden area with benches and picnic tables (including "Poppy" picnic tables) at the far end.
Inscription
Front face: TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ MEMORY OF OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ 1914-1918/ (Names)/ ALSO OF/ (Boer War Name)/ "GRÀDH A'S MÒ NA SO CHA'N'EIL AIG/ NEAGH AIR BITH" EOIN.15.13./ ERECTED BY PUBLIC/ SUBSCRIPTION 3 o'clock face: 1939 - 1945/ (Names) Reverse side of base On 3rd March 1945, the American crew / of a B-17G Flying Fortress / perished at Beinn Edra / after a crash in thich fog. / Gan cuimhneachadh / (names)
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Aldrich, George S.
Blue, Harold D.
Buchanan, James
Cagle, Leroy E.
Fahselt, Harold A.
Fraser, John Macintosh
Gillies, William
Jeanblanc, Charles K.
Kopp Jr., Arthur W.
Lamont, Samuel
See details for all 34 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 9
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 9
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: rank, forename, surname
    Order of information: rank
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 17
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 17
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: rank, forename, surname, regiment
    Order of information: rank, regiment, surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 7
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 7
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: rank, forename, surname, regiment
    Order of information: surname, forename
  • Boer War; Second (1899-1902)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: rank, forename, surname, regiment, rank, date of death
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite
  • Pillar
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite
  • Steps
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite
  • Plinth
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Urn
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Reference
  • BEINN EDRA PLANE DISASTER staffin-trust.co.uk/beinn-edra-disaster
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=4137&mforum=warmemscot
  • BBC News 3 March 2020-Family and islanders remember WW2 plane crash on Skye-A 75th commemoration has been held to remember nine US airmen killed in a crash on Skye during World War Two. Fresh from training, the crew were flying a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber from the US via Iceland to RAF Valley in Wales. The aircraft clipped cliffs and crashed in Trotternish on 3 March 1945. Relatives of Second Lt Paul Overfield Jnr were among those gathering at a war memorial in Skye which carries the names of the nine men. The 21-year-old pilot, along with co-pilot Second Lt Leroy E Cagle, navigator Second Lt Charles K Jeanblanc, radio operator Cpl Arthur W Kopp Jr, engineer Cpl Harold D Blue and gunners Cpl John H Vaughan, Cpl Harold A Fahselt, Cpl George S Aldrich and Cpl CarteIn foggy weather, the bomber crashed on Beinn Edra, the highest point on the Trotternish Ridge in Staffin. Islanders who tried to go to their aid found the men's personal belongings among the wreckage, including fishing rods and bicycles. Parts of the wreckage are still visible on the ridge. The names of the airmen were added to Staffin War Memorial five years ago to mark 70 years since the crash. There is also a plaque below the ridge to remember the loss of the crew.r D Wilkinson died in the crash. Second Lt Overfield's sister Betty Foote, who is now in her late 80s and living in Florida, is not well enough to attend Tuesday's 75th commemoration but other members of her family were expected at the event. Recalling her older brother, she said: "During high school he and his friends collected scrap iron on Saturdays for the cause (war effort). "I was 13 years old and in 8th Grade when Paul was killed. The minister came to the school and took us home." Former Army chaplain, the Rev Rory MacLeod, led the commemoration at Staffin War Memorial. Relatives and islanders were to later gather at community building, the Columba 1400 Centre, and family were offered an opportunity to visit Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre in Portree. The commemoration was organised by Staffin Community Trust, supported by Staffin Community Council. Second Lt Overfield's cousin Doug Overfield travelled from the US to attend the commemoration. He told BBC Radio Scotland: "We came here today not only to remember Paul and the crew, but also to thank Staffin for the generosity and for everything they have done to remember my cousin. "We will return to the US with all this information for Paul's sister Betty and how we were taken aback by what they have done."
  • BBC News 9 March 2015-Skye islanders mark WW2 US bomber crash- Residents of Staffin on Skye have marked 70 years since a crash that claimed the lives of nine US airmen. The fliers' B-17G Flying Fortress clipped cliffs of Beinn Edra in bad weather and crashed near Staffin on 3 March 1945. Fresh from training, the crew were flying the bomber from the US via Iceland to RAF Valley in Wales. Eight were killed instantly and one was thrown clear and died of his injuries. Their bodies were later repatriated. On Saturday, islanders gathered at the Columba 1400, a venue run by a social enterprise in Staffin, for a commemorative event to the airmen. The crew manifest listed the crew members as pilot Second Lt Paul M Overfield Jr, co-pilot Second Lt Leroy E Cagle, navigator Second Lt Charles K Jeanblanc, radio operator Cpl Arthur W Kopp Jr, engineer Cpl Harold D Blue and gunners Cpl John H Vaughan, Cpl Harold A Fahselt, Cpl George S Aldrich and Cpl Carter D Wilkinson. Wreckage of the aircraft remains at the World War Two crash site today.

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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