Wreck Recovery in Britain Then and Now

During the last 50 years, there has been a significant increase in the excavation of crashed aircraft in Britain. Initially, people were unaware that underground treasures remained, even after the surface wreckage had been cleared. While the Missing Research and Enquiry Unit in the Continent worked tirelessly to trace missing airmen, the RAF did not conduct similar operations in the UK. Many crash sites still contained the mortal remains of pilots, and it took some time for the realization to sink in that these aircraft wreckage needed to be recovered. Once the importance was recognized, there was a rush to find and dig up crash sites, with over 30 aviation archaeology groups active in the 1970s. However, this unfettered exploration raised criticism, and the Ministry of Defence stepped in to establish a code of conduct and an Act of Parliament in 1986 to regulate the process. Eventually, all accessible locations had been explored, and the exploration of wartime crash sites in Britain largely came to a close.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 232 pages
\n Publication date: 01 October 2018
\n Publisher: After the Battle
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The excavation of crashed aircraft has gained immense interest over the past 50 years. During the war era, schoolboys eagerly collected and exchanged souvenirs from crash sites, often stolen under the watchful eyes of police or RAF guards. However, once the surface wreckage was cleared, it was overlooked that even greater treasures lay hidden underground. In contrast, on the Continent, the Missing Research and Enquiry Unit dedicated themselves to tracing the thousands of airmen who remained missing. Surprisingly, the RAF did not conduct a similar operation in the United Kingdom, even though many crash sites still contained the mortal remains of pilots whose names were added to the Memorial to the Missing unveiled at Runnymede in 1953. It's intriguing to note that the war in the air, following the Battle of Britain, shifted its focus to Europe, perhaps leading to a fading memory of the intense battle that took place over the United Kingdom in 1940. It's difficult to comprehend how it took so long for the realization to sink in that aircraft wreckage remained buried. Once it did, there ensued an unruly rush to locate and excavate crash sites, employing heavy machinery to expedite the process. During the 1970s, a surge of over 30 aviation archaeology groups, or loose affiliations of like-minded individuals, were actively engaged in this exploration, particularly in the counties of Essex, Kent, and Sussex, where the main battle had unfolded. The discovery of unrecoverable human remains sparked criticism from certain quarters, but it was defended by the argument that missing airmen should have been recovered.

\n Weight: 1458g\n
Dimension: 219 x 303 x 22 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781870067942\n \n