Crash remembered

Not long ago I had related to a friend my experience on the occasion of an aero engine falling from a plane into the grounds of Bosham Manor.

I was on front desk duty at Chichester Police Station at the time of the incident – an era when the front hall was open to the public and manned 24/7 by a police constable.

It was not long before Fleet Street learned of the incident (not from police sources) and the antiquated telephone switchboard was jammed by the enquiring press corps.

There were only three outside lines and this was pre-mobile phones and person radios. Contact with personnel at the scene was therefore hampered and the press was told that their enquiries were inhibiting lines of communication.

As my friend has a long association with Bosham and, to my surprise, had no knowledge of the incident, I made enquiries of the County Archivist and, after a search, was advised they had no such record but suggested I got in touch with Tangmere Aviation Museum.

Again, they had no awareness of such an occurrence.

Hence my doubting the clear memory of events outlined.

So thank you for the Down Memory Lane article – apparently age hasn’t yet taken its toll, at least not so far a my memory is concerned!

Tony Hiscocks

Gordon Avenue, Chichester