Date:	Saturday 22 December 1951
Time:
Type:	Gloster Meteor T Mk 7
Owner/operator:	141 Sqn RAF
Registration:	WG936
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Coltishall, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor T.7 WG936, 141 Squadron RAF: delivered 21/8/1951. Written off 22/12/1951: Engine flamed out in circuit, dived into ground on overshoot at RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk. The pilot reported that the port engine had failed and the aircraft made a steep turn into the airfield with flaps down and undercarriage retracted. It flew slowly along the runway heading and then commenced a flat turn to starboard and dived into the ground. Both crew killed

Crew of Meteor WG936
Sergeant John Stuart JENNISON, RAF (pilot, aged 23) - killed (reportedly died at the crash location)
Flight Sergeant (553151) Edward SHIPMAN, RAF (Navigator, aged 29) - killed (died 25/12/51 in hospital of burns and injuries sustained). Buried Norwich, Norfolk.

For his bravery in connection with this accident, 4056492 LAC (Leading Aircraftman) James W Dorey RAF was awarded the B.E.M (British Empire Medal) at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in March 1952 - believed to be the first ever such investiture after Queen Elizabeth II became monarch on 6 February 1952. The announcement of the BEM appeared in the London Gazette with a full citation on the 14th March 1952. The Citatation for LAC Dorey reads as follows:

“On the 22nd December 1951 a Meteor Mark VII aircraft WG936 from Royal Air Force Station Coltishall crashed and caught fire within the airfield boundary of RAF Station Horsham St Faith.

The fire crew quickly attacked the flames and soon it was possible to see that there were two occupants of the aircraft. The unconscious pilot was pulled out of the burning wreckage with little delay, but the Navigator who was fully conscious was still trapped.

Leading Aircraftsman Dorey a member of the fire crew, who had already worked valiantly in the task of controlling the fire and rescuing the Pilot, climbed onto the fuselage and despite the obvious danger of imminent explosion and the extreme discomfort from the flames and smoke, held the navigator as far away from the flames as he could. This he did to the limit of his physical strength, thus enabling the Medical Officer more easily to administer to the injured man and finally effect his removal from the wreckage.

Leading Aircraftsman Dorey thereupon collapsed from the effects of the smoke and his superhuman exertion and fell into the wreckage, from which he was rescued by his comrades. His magnificent conduct was largely responsible for the navigator being rescued alive; unfortunately he died subsequently in Hospital”

LAC Dorey joined the RAF in late 1950. The Meteor in question WG936 was carrying out a formation flying practice, when it fell out of formation and crashed, both crew members succumbed to their injuries. The Navigator, Flight Sergeant Edward Shipman died three days later on Christmas Day. The Pilot, Sergeant John Stuart Jennison died shortly after the crash on the 22nd December".

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.123 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 209
3. 141 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/3/1951 to 31/5/1954: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/2144 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101854
4. London Gazette - full citation on 14th March 1952
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WG
6. https://www.easyliveauction.com/catalogue/lot/bf6069d8c369869ce109ea7c8657b2f5/0af8d24542e81eb9357e7ef448a6646f/original-military-medals-and-antique-badges-headdress-lot-67/
7. Headstone of Flight Sergeant (553151) Edward SHIPMAN, RAF: https://www.flickr.com/photos/43688219@N00/5731380404/ .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Jun-2008 22:33	JINX	Added
02-Mar-2012 08:28	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source]
19-Feb-2015 06:34	pietrzak	Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
17-Jun-2015 09:03	JEPA	Updated [Location, Source]
04-Oct-2018 13:14	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
18-Feb-2021 17:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Feb-2021 17:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
18-Feb-2021 17:52	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
20-Feb-2021 17:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
21-Feb-2021 21:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Narrative]