See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

The approximate possible location of the crash site of aircraft EP749, a British Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vb, which is thought to have crashed at White Tor, Devon, on 6th December 1942. The aircraft belonged to 19 Squadron Royal Air Force, and may have been operating from RAF Perranporth. The aircraft crashed by flying into the hill, which was obscured by mist. One source based on the Royal Air Force records suggests the crash site was at Mary Tavy, but this is probably an error for Peter Tavy. It is not clear to what degree any wreckage remains on site: but please note that a licence to excavate or recover remains from a military aircraft crash site must first be obtained from the Ministry of Defence before any such investigations may be undertaken.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NW166
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1437779

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE (World War II - 1942 AD to 1942 AD)
• MKVB (World War II - 1942 AD (Between) to 1942 AD (Between))

Full description

Smith, D. J., 1997, High Ground Wrecks and Relics; Aircraft Hulks on the Hills and Mountains of the UK and Ireland, 82 (Monograph). SDV352713.

Smith notes the approximate possible location of the crash site of aircraft EP749, a British Supermarine Spitfire, which is thought to have crashed at White Tor, Devon (map reference 59 79 on Landranger map 191). It crashed on 06-DEC-1942. The aircraft belonged to 19 Squadron, and may have been operating from RAF Perranporth. The aircraft crashed by flying into the hill, which was obscured by mist. It is not clear to what degree any wreckage remains on site.

Rendell, P., 2000, Crashed aircraft on Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV352716.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Unclear where the aircraft crash landed in relation to White Tor so location is approximate.

Sandles, T., 2014-2019, Legendary Dartmoor, Accessed 12/09/2014 (Website). SDV356498.

White Tor - 06.12.1942. A Supermarine Spitfire crashed whilst on flight from Royal Air Force Perrantporth in Cornwall. (Based on Rendell, 2000).

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accesed 28/03/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

EP749 was one of a large batch of 1655 Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vb and Vc aircraft delivered between April and December 1942, by Vickers Armstrongs, Castle Bromwich. This particular aircraft was a Mark Vb. It was assigned to 19 Squadron Royal Air Force. On 06-DEC-1942, it flew into a hill in mist, Mary Tavy (sic? see below), Devon (citing Halley, J. J., 1988, Royal Air Force Aircraft EA100 - EZ999, pgs. 66, 75).
White Tor lies in Peter Tavy Civil Parish rather than Mary Tavy Civil Parish (Page, R., 17/12/2006, compiler's comment).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7275 - Survey of the Langstone Moor stone circle and other prehistoric monuments nearby
• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.