During 1950s and the early days of the Cold War, the number of RAF aircraft lost through accidents was astonishing. In that decade alone it ran into thousands of aircraft and well over 2,000 fatalities amongst aircrew and civilians on the ground. One such incident involved a Meteor jet which tore through the centre of an East Sussex village
To residents in the sleepy market town of Wadhurst on the Kent and Sussex border, the sound of low flying aircraft was nothing unusual. RAF airfields were not far away, at West Malling and Biggin Hill, and meant that jet fighters were regularly overhead. So commonplace, in fact, that they barely warranted much attention. But, during the mid-afternoon of 20 January 1956, a circling Meteor jet did attract the attention of those on the ground – especially as it circled around in a descending turn and headed extremely fast and at very low-level towards the town centre. Amongst those watching were the parents of Fg Off Leonard Stoate and the young RAF pilot’s fiancée, Margaret Hanley. Whilst others looking on were curious and not a little alarmed by the low-flying jet, Mr and Mrs Stoate at nearby Durgates, an…
