History of RAF Gibbet Hill
- David Young
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 18
The RAF station next to Hindhead was envisaged as part of a short-range, blind-landing system to improve safety during night operations. However, during the course of development by the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) near Swanage, the range was found to be far better than expected. It then developed into a long-range, general navigation system. This article was kindly provided to the Thursley History Society by Dr John N Bennett.
The complete report is in this pdf:
Sadly, there was a tragic air accident at RAF Gibbet Hill during the war:
With thanks to Paul McCue for this information as in his book, Dunsfold: Surrey's Most Secret Airfield 1942 - 1992, Paul wrote:
"...[other former PoWs].....managed a lift to England in a Curtis Commando of the USAAF on 6th May 1945. As the aircraft headed for the American airfield at Membury [RAF Membury - USAAF Station AAF-466, station code ME] in Wiltshire [there's still a little of the airfield left but it is better known today as the location of Membury Services on the M4], it collided with the aerial of an RAF radio station on Gibbet, Hill, Hindhead. Although Dunsfold's medical services raced to the scene, all 31 men on board were found dead on impact, along with a Canadian officer from the radio station'.
Here is the report:
Date:Sunday 6 May 1945Time:12:54Type:
Curtiss C-46D-10-CU CommandoOwner/operator:United States Army Air Force - USAAFRegistration:44-77839MSN:33235Year of manufacture:1945Fatalities:Fatalities: 30 / Occupants: 30Other fatalities:1Aircraft damage:DestroyedCategory:AccidentLocation:Hindhead - United Kingdom
Phase:En routeNature:MilitaryDeparture airport:
Newbury-Greenham Common RAF Station (EWY/EGVI)
8/10 cloud coverage at 600 feet caused the pilot to fly very low. The C-46 entered a valley where it struck the Gee tower about 1000m south east of the Gibbets Hill Gee tower. The airplane lost its right wing and crashed.
Date & Time: May 6, 1945 at 1254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
44-77839
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Site:
MSN:
33235
YOM:
1945
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
28
Other fatalities:
1
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight to the US, repatriating wounded US soldiers. It was scheduled to make a stopover at RAF Greenham Common near Newbury, Berkshire. Starting the descent, the crew encountered low visibility with clouds to 600 feet. While flying in a mountainous area, the twin engine aircraft hit a radar antenna, lost its right wing and crashed in flames on a hut located on Mt Gibbet located near Hindhead, Surrey. All 30 occupants and one person in hut were killed.
Crew:
2nd Lt John N. Boyce Jr.,
1st Lt Herbert R. Chickering.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew started the approach in visual mode in IMC. The aircraft hit a 70 meters high radar antenna that was not visible because it was not equipped with lights. Also, the crew was unaware of the presence of the antenna as it was not showed on any charts.
Here is a newspaper report:
Evening Telegraph & Post, May 9, 1945
OVER 30 KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
An aeroplane accident which occurred at Hindhead on Sunday afternoon resulted in the death of over 30 service personnel.
An American transport plane, returning from the Continent, passed over the Punch Bowl flying low and afterwards collided with one of the tall pylons at the RAF radio station at Gibbet Hill. It was raining at the time and there was low mist over the district. The plane crashed on two huts in the station grounds and one of the station personnel was killed. The machine burst into flames and was practically destroyed.
Of the 32 occupants of the plane – crew and passengers – not one survived.
