Short Sunderland ML 858 St Kilda

Sunderland wreck site
© jonesor

During World War II, a flying boat, Short Sunderland ML858 of 302 MFU, was on a Navex from Oban, and crashed at the head of Gleann Mòr on Hirta, St Kilda just before midnight on June 7, 1944 (the day after D-Day), with the loss of ten crew - six New Zealanders, an Australian and three Britons. The time of the event may explain why this wreck is also reported on June 8, 1944. The wreckage was later dismantled and buried by the RAF during the summer of 1944.^[1][2]

The loss is commemorated on an RAF Memorial established within a small chapel on main island of Hirta.

Photographs

Unidentified wreck site
© jonesor

Unidentified wreck site
© jonesor

References

1 ⇑ Smith, David J (1997) High Ground Wrecks and Relics, Leicester, Midland Publishing Ltd ISBN 1857800702.

2 ⇑ After the Battle magazine, issue 30, pp 28-43.

External links

Aerial views

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