Memorial service for 10 aircrew who died in Shackleton crash
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THE memory of 10 aircrew who lost their lives when their Shackleton crashed on the Isle of Harris has been embodied in a new plaque and cairn.
A ceremony took place to mark the anniversary of the crash on April 30, 1990 and personnel from 8 Squadron, RAF Lossiemouth, were there to pay respects.
Shackleton WR965 had taken off from the Moray base at 8am – call sign Gambia Zero 8 – and flown 150 miles to
the Outer Hebrides.
Exercise Bushfire involved training with a Tornado F3 and required WR965 to turn off the radar on board.
Just before 11am permission was granted by RAF Benbecula to begin approach for landing from the west.
The aircraft was seen by RAF personnel to circle at least twice before it crashed in to Maodal, an 800ft hill, near the village of Northton.
The personnel lost were: Wg Cdr Stephen Roncoroni, Wg Cdr Chas Wrighton, Sqn Ldr Jerry Lane, Flt Lt Al Campbell, Flt Lt Keith Forbes, Fg Off Colin Burns, MACr Roger Scutt, FS Rick Rickets, Sgt Graham Miller and Cpl Stuart Bolton.
The three members of 8 Squadron who attended the memorial service were Sqn Ldr Bracewell, Flt Lt Jobin and Flt Lt Smith. The service was organised by the Harris Voluntary Service and the new cairn and plaque was funded by
the National Lottery.
The cairn sits at the base of Maodal. It is positioned at the start of the path that leads to the original 1991 monument.
The existing monument poignantly features the Orange Harvest of a Shackleton aircraft that operated the electronic support measures onboard.
Today, 8 Squadron is the UK's contribution to NATO's airbourne early warning and control force, and since 2014 it has flown missions in Norway, Poland, the Baltics and Romania.
In 2024 the squadron will take delivery of the E-7 Wedgetail AEW MK1.
