ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD

THOUGH it never hit the headlines in those wartime days of strict censorship, the whole of Moss Bank was abuzz with excitement when an American fighter plane crash-landed at the edge of the village.

It happened around 1943-4 when the US Lightning plunged to earth on open farmland.

Farmer John Forster was reminded of that dramatic day after reading my recent piece about a wartime B-24 bomber from Burtonwood which crashed into a section of raised land at Sutton, known as the Battery Cob.

All on board (including two additional crews) were killed, making it the worst single disaster in the history of Burtonwood air base.

The Lightning careered across Moss Bank acreage farmed by the Forster family. But luckily, on this particular occasion the pilot was able to step unscathed from his pranged plane, adds John of Shoots Delph Farm at Birchley View.

Though he didn't escape the angry words of John's uncle, Willie Forster, ringing in his ears. For the plane had ploughed a huge, half-mile ridge across his land, uprooting fencing and the odd farm gate that got in its way. And Uncle Willie was a fellow who didn't take kindly to anyone disturbing his orderly rural way of life!

"It was mainly mock anger," says John, "but with a little undercurrent of annoyance beneath it!"

The exact crash-landing spot, he explains, was down Cherry Tree Lane, past what is now Manor House Close and behind a farm gate.

Uncle Willie was quite a character who had a tame robin which acted as an alarm clock - bobbing through the window to perch on his bedpost, waiting to be fed with its morning crumbs.

And he was the central character in a rather more amusing wartime episode.

For John recalls his father telling him about the time when the Home Guard commandeered Uncle Willie's garage at Fenney Bank, tucked on the edge of the rolling acres of Moss Bank.

Among the Dad's Army local personalities was the legendary Archie Brown of Hardshaw Garage, St Helens. He and his veteran comrades kept a rotated vigil in case of air raids or invasions.

One night, Archie's missus, Gertie, questioned her hubby about his duties.

"On the look-out for German planes and to defend the area," he proudly replied.

"Who else is there with you?" she went on.

"Oh," was Archie's calmly assuring reply, "there's up to two or three of us each night!"

WELL, as in all things, I suppose quality counts more than quantity . . . especially when dear old England has to be defended tooth and nail.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.