Jim Gilchrist taken around the time of the accident.
One of the crash survivors (now the only one known), Jim Gilchrist in a 16-9-1986 letter states:
"I found myself lying on my back onthe maintain with explosions and fire all around. I don't know how long I had been lying there but it was raining quite hard and my face and clothes were very wet. I don't know how I came out of the aricraft but I was lucky to have only wounds to the head and hands. I was still in my leather flying jacket and flying boots but both my leather flying helmet and gloves were missing, which wouldn't have been the case had everything been normal.
I was a bit confused but it soon dawned on me what had happened. I was able to get to my feet but couldn't get near the aircraft because of the fire. I called out, and from the darkness some distance away (but could not see) came the voice of GOwens asking if I was from the crash. He asked if I was injured and told me to remain in position and that he would come towards me. Gowens had ben in the upper turret at the time of the crash and was conscious throughout the impact luckily suffering nothing worse than slight bruising and a nicked ankle as he evacuated the turret and tumbled to the ground. Considering that his turret was almost central above the bomb bay, with explosions and fire all around him, his escape was a miracle.
I asked what had happend and whether he knew the fate of the other crew members. He told me that he had been as near to the aircraft as possible and that there was no sign of life. He was able to say that he could see bodies int he fire but no survivors. I was feeling pretty shocked by this time and we managed to find shelter from the wind and rain and away from the fire by a large rock. We decided that the only thing to do was to rest and look at the situation at first light. I amanaged to find some cigarettes (I don't smoke now) and matches and we sat against the rock to gather our scattered wits. I still had my Mae West, but Gowens had lost his. I was able, therefore, to inflate mine and we both sat on it in an attempt to keep off the wet ground. Some time later I must have drifted off to sleep and awoke to find the dawn casting a cold light on the mountain.
We were very stiff and my wounds were a bit painful and as we were getting to our feet, we heard a groaning noise and saw Tubby Richardson, the Flight Engineer, crawling around some rocks towards us. I couldn't believe my eyes nor my ears when he said that there were two other survivors: Joe Trull, the Navigator and Hobbs another Flight ENgineer. Tubby confirmed that all others were dead. I gave Tubby the signal cartridges from my Mae West (2 Star Reds) and we told him not to move and we would attempt to contact help. I told Tubby to fire a cartridge if he saw anyone, as a guide to the crash site"
Extract taken from Liam Briodys Book: The World War II Aeroplane Crash in the Blue Stack Mountians
Gilchrist Family on the Mountain 31st May 2008
Left to right - James Gilchrist, Adrian Gilchrist, Sarah Thompson, Susan Mackinnon, Caroline Wells, standing by one of the remains of the engines at the crash site.
From: The Donegal Democrat
Published Date: 03 June 2008
The final flight of WW2 plane crash survivor
Last Saturday, as the clouds parted and the sun radiated in the blue skies over the peaks of Lavaghmore and Silverhill,in a very moving moment, as the red poppy wreaths were laid amongst the aluminum fuselage of the wreck and the granite mountain rocks, a poem was read by Paul Clark of UTV fame, in memory of 28 year old Airman Vincent Wareing who perished on the slopes that night.Tears glistened on the cheeks of those who travelled from all corners of the world, to bring a closure of sorts to this remarkable story which, for the past 64 years has enthralled and attracted walkers to this spot and even has a plaque affixed to one of the huge granite boulders to the memory of Omagh Bomb victim, avid hill walker, 21 year old Adrian Gallagher.
The poem, composed by members of the Wareing family now resident in New Zealand, which was sent to Meehan’s Muses, Donegal Democrat, ends with the lines, “The crew is finally complete with Jim Gilchrist taking the last seat.The radio crackles, and a voice is heard, DW110 calling ‘Heavens Gate’, permission to land Sir, sorry we’re late”. On Sunday, members of the Gilchrist family, who had travelled from the UK and Hong Kong, visited the home of Joe McDermott, The Croaghs, Cloghan, the house visited in those February early morning hours, by the five survivors of the plane crash.