The day a bomber crashed at Broadbridge Heath

One of the Museum’s latest acquisitions is a fascinating postcard that shows the wreckage of a plane that crashed at Broadbridge Heath in 1927!

On August 19 that year, a Vickers-Virginia bomber, belonging to No 58 Squadron of the RAF at Worthy Down, Winchester, developed engine trouble around midday as it flew over the Horsham area.

It was piloted by Sergeant-Pilot Alyer who attempted to carry on just using the starboard engine, but the plane began to tilt dangerously.

So he made the decision to land in a 40-acre field on Field Place Farm, between Broadbridge Heath and Warnham!

The plane landed on a stretch of ploughed land 200 yards away from Strood Lane.

However, the speed it landed at meant the plane carried on right up to and through a hedge at the edge of the field and it finished spanning the road at an angle.

Remarkably, the crew – Alyer, Pilot-Officer R.O. Oxley Taylor, a sergeant wireless operator and a mechanic – all escaped uninjured!

The plane’s starboard engine propeller was splintered and the landing wheels on that side were crushed.

The lane was completely blocked so all traffic had to be diverted.

As the plane’s wireless was damaged, Mrs Whalley of Corseletts, Broadbridge Heath, drove the officer into Horsham and the police helped send a message to base.

Breakdown equipment from Tangmere aerodrome arrived later on and lorries took away what was left of the plane the following evening.