Archaeological dig to unearth wreckage of WW2 hero pilot crash under way | Second world war

On January 26, 1944, a 23-year-old US pilot crashed in Essex while flying a powerful P-47 Thunderbolt on a wartime training exercise.

Locals witnessed the horror of 2nd Lt. Lester Lowry’s plane plunging into the ground and bursting into flames. Lowry did not appear to be rescued and remained missing in action (MIA) for over 80 years. Ironically, his plane was called “Lucky Boy”.

A salvage operation is now underway at a site near Great Bardfield to uncover the shattered remains of the wreck; some of which will be sent back to Lowry’s home in Pennsylvania.

This particular mission is overseen by the US Department of Defense PoW/MIA accounting agency (DPAA) as well as the UK Ministry of Defense and Cotswold Archaeology.

It is a time to listen to such heroes and commemorate their sacrifices.

Lowry of the 487th Fighter Squadron, who escorted bombers against the Luftwaffe, was one of thousands of air force personnel who died tragically during training in the fight against fascism during World War II.

After taking off from the RAF base at Bodney, Norfolk, Lowry catastrophically lost control of the aircraft in heavy cloud.

The dig will feature in the episode of More 4’s Hidden Wonders series, which starts on November 4.

The program is co-hosted by broadcaster Sandi Toksvig, who studied archeology at the University of Cambridge. He said they “put together the untold story of a young man who never made it home.”

The finds include the engine’s cylinder heads, valves, pistons and fuel system pipes, as well as fuselage and wing remains. There are also weapon remains, including components from the M2 Browning machine gun.

Archaeologists found instrument panel parts and pull buttons for defrosting and ventilation control in the cockpit.

But the more personal items have a special poignancy, especially Lowry’s parachute harness clips. The sad irony is that he never got to use his parachute.

Cotswold’s chief archaeologist, Sam Wilson, told the Guardian: “The most exciting things are the things that connect us directly to Lowry, such as the parachute harness clips (things we know he had) and some of the controls from the cockpit. “It’s so powerful because he was controlling this plane in its final moments. There’s a real tragedy in that…

“We found a lot more than I originally expected to find. The sheer volume of planes there was huge; thousands and thousands of pieces.”

Discussing their importance, he added: “You make an intense human connection that you don’t really get with other types of archaeology. We have photos of Lowry and we know a little bit about his background and service history. It just brings the person to life.”

Lowry’s life was a tragic one. He was orphaned at the age of nine and was raised by an aunt who would receive a telegram informing him of his death.

The documentary reveals that, according to flight records, Lowry received only minimal training (but 47 hours, less than half the recommended time) as new pilots rushed into battle.

Toksvig said: “While investigating the death of Lieutenant Lester Lowry… we discovered a wonderful 90-year-old man named Peter. [Morris]. He could remember the day of the accident… We assumed Lester Lowry died because he was inexperienced… There were about 150 children in the schoolyard and he thinks Peter Lowry missed school on purpose. Suddenly the whole story turned upside down [its] HEAD. Maybe Lowry wasn’t inexperienced after all. In fact, he was a hero.”

DPAA conducts investigations and recovery missions at disappearance sites around the world and works with partner governments to identify remains and return them to families. The fate of approximately 72,000 soldiers remains unknown since World War II.

This is Cotswold Archeology’s third year of excavation in partnership with DPAA and Operation Nightingale, a UK-based initiative launched by the Ministry of Defense in 2011 to support the recovery of injured and sick military personnel and veterans through participation in archaeological excavations.

Work continues after the excavation at the Essex site, where the debris has been eliminated. The finds will be sent to the DPAA laboratory in Nebraska, where everything will be analyzed before being shared between the UK and US museums.

Wilson said Lowry’s death during training made it even more important to tell this story because so many young men had died in training accidents: “There’s no less sacrifice than someone who died in the first wave at Omaha Beach, for example. Everybody’s doing their job.”

• Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders, presented with archaeologist Raksha Dave, opens November 4 On More4 at 21.00