<p>Stirling IV ‘LK171’ crashed at Skarfjell in Norway on 2nd November 1944. Operated by 295sqn, RAF, and based at RAF Rivenhall in Essex, it was the personal aircraft of Group Captain W.E.Surplice and was appropriately coded with his initials, ‘WES’ and was named “Shooting Stars”. It was on a supply drop mission for the Norwegian Resistance but crashed due to severe icing in poor weather.
A fuselage panel and other small parts are on display in the Military Aircraft Hall of the Norsk Luftfartsmuseum (Norwegian Aviation Museum).
Bodø, Northern Norway
24th May 2019
</p><p>The following memorial is at the crash site:-
</p><p>“On the 2nd of November 1944 a British Short Stirling airplane crashed at Skarsfjell, due to icing. The plane should have dropped supplies to Milorg Section 16.1 in Numedal.
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The pilot of the aircraft, Group Captain Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC, managed to keep the plane airborne until the crew of six had parachuted to safety, but lost his own life in the crash.”
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/65001151@N03">Alan Wilson</a> from Peterborough, Cambs, UK
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajw1970/49255383691/">Fuselage panel from Short Stirling IV [LK171 / WES]</a>