Civilian War Dead -- FRECKLETON DISASTER
Civilian casualty of WWII, Kathleen was one of the adults killed as a result of the Freckleton Disaster on 23, August 1944 when a U.S. military bomber crashed into Holy Trinity School in the village of Freckleton.
Kathleen was 22 years old, and the daughter of Mary Hannah Forshaw, of 5 Well Lane, Brinscall, and of the late John James Forshaw. She lived at 30 Church Street, Kirkham.
Storms came up suddenly on the day of the crash, and two B-24s already in air were recalled, with weather warnings; however, by the time the order to return to ground had been issues, winds had reached 60 mph, flash flooding was being reported in Blackpool and other areas, and water spouts were appearing in the Ribble Estuary.
1st Lieutenant John Blomendal, the pilot of the second aircraft - the "Classy Chassis II" - reported that he was aborting landing at the last moment, and would circle round again. Within minutes, the aircraft struck Freckleton, east of the airfield.
It was determined that the aircraft's wings were nearly vertical when it hit a treetop and then impacted with the corner of a building; one of the wings was immediately sheared away and continued along the ground, into hedges. The 25 ton bomber's fuselage demolished three homes and the Sad Sack Cafe before crossing the road and bursting into flames. The fuselage then struck the infant wing of Freckleton Holy Trinity School, its' fuel igniting a sea of flames. 38 children perished.
The official decision regarding the crash was listed as unknown, but it was questioned whether the American pilot may have been unprepared for the sudden weather changes in English rain - a 'shower' can go quickly to thunderstorms, and worse.
Civilian casualty of WWII, Kathleen was one of the adults killed as a result of the Freckleton Disaster on 23, August 1944 when a U.S. military bomber crashed into Holy Trinity School in the village of Freckleton.
Kathleen was 22 years old, and the daughter of Mary Hannah Forshaw, of 5 Well Lane, Brinscall, and of the late John James Forshaw. She lived at 30 Church Street, Kirkham.
Storms came up suddenly on the day of the crash, and two B-24s already in air were recalled, with weather warnings; however, by the time the order to return to ground had been issues, winds had reached 60 mph, flash flooding was being reported in Blackpool and other areas, and water spouts were appearing in the Ribble Estuary.
1st Lieutenant John Blomendal, the pilot of the second aircraft - the "Classy Chassis II" - reported that he was aborting landing at the last moment, and would circle round again. Within minutes, the aircraft struck Freckleton, east of the airfield.
It was determined that the aircraft's wings were nearly vertical when it hit a treetop and then impacted with the corner of a building; one of the wings was immediately sheared away and continued along the ground, into hedges. The 25 ton bomber's fuselage demolished three homes and the Sad Sack Cafe before crossing the road and bursting into flames. The fuselage then struck the infant wing of Freckleton Holy Trinity School, its' fuel igniting a sea of flames. 38 children perished.
The official decision regarding the crash was listed as unknown, but it was questioned whether the American pilot may have been unprepared for the sudden weather changes in English rain - a 'shower' can go quickly to thunderstorms, and worse.
Civilian War Dead -- FRECKLETON DISASTER
Civilian casualty of WWII, Kathleen was one of the adults killed as a result of the Freckleton Disaster on 23, August 1944 when a U.S. military bomber crashed into Holy Trinity School in the village of Freckleton.
Kathleen was 22 years old, and the daughter of Mary Hannah Forshaw, of 5 Well Lane, Brinscall, and of the late John James Forshaw. She lived at 30 Church Street, Kirkham.
Storms came up suddenly on the day of the crash, and two B-24s already in air were recalled, with weather warnings; however, by the time the order to return to ground had been issues, winds had reached 60 mph, flash flooding was being reported in Blackpool and other areas, and water spouts were appearing in the Ribble Estuary.
1st Lieutenant John Blomendal, the pilot of the second aircraft - the "Classy Chassis II" - reported that he was aborting landing at the last moment, and would circle round again. Within minutes, the aircraft struck Freckleton, east of the airfield.
It was determined that the aircraft's wings were nearly vertical when it hit a treetop and then impacted with the corner of a building; one of the wings was immediately sheared away and continued along the ground, into hedges. The 25 ton bomber's fuselage demolished three homes and the Sad Sack Cafe before crossing the road and bursting into flames. The fuselage then struck the infant wing of Freckleton Holy Trinity School, its' fuel igniting a sea of flames. 38 children perished.
The official decision regarding the crash was listed as unknown, but it was questioned whether the American pilot may have been unprepared for the sudden weather changes in English rain - a 'shower' can go quickly to thunderstorms, and worse.
Civilian casualty of WWII, Kathleen was one of the adults killed as a result of the Freckleton Disaster on 23, August 1944 when a U.S. military bomber crashed into Holy Trinity School in the village of Freckleton.
Kathleen was 22 years old, and the daughter of Mary Hannah Forshaw, of 5 Well Lane, Brinscall, and of the late John James Forshaw. She lived at 30 Church Street, Kirkham.
Storms came up suddenly on the day of the crash, and two B-24s already in air were recalled, with weather warnings; however, by the time the order to return to ground had been issues, winds had reached 60 mph, flash flooding was being reported in Blackpool and other areas, and water spouts were appearing in the Ribble Estuary.
1st Lieutenant John Blomendal, the pilot of the second aircraft - the "Classy Chassis II" - reported that he was aborting landing at the last moment, and would circle round again. Within minutes, the aircraft struck Freckleton, east of the airfield.
It was determined that the aircraft's wings were nearly vertical when it hit a treetop and then impacted with the corner of a building; one of the wings was immediately sheared away and continued along the ground, into hedges. The 25 ton bomber's fuselage demolished three homes and the Sad Sack Cafe before crossing the road and bursting into flames. The fuselage then struck the infant wing of Freckleton Holy Trinity School, its' fuel igniting a sea of flames. 38 children perished.
The official decision regarding the crash was listed as unknown, but it was questioned whether the American pilot may have been unprepared for the sudden weather changes in English rain - a 'shower' can go quickly to thunderstorms, and worse.
Gravesite Details
Civilian War Dead
