Exmoor – Liberator Monument

A monument honouring the memory of United States airmen whose Liberator plane tragically crashed on Bossington Hill in 1942. This simple concrete structure, originally located elsewhere, has been relocated to its current position along the coastal path.

SS 87934 47975 – This monument commemorates the United States airmen whose Liberator plane tragically crashed in the marsh on October 29, 1942. It is a simple concrete structure, originally constructed using materials available by members of the Porlock Branch of the British Legion. Initially located at SS 88148 47763, it was later relocated to SS 87934 47975 along the coastal path to increase visibility and accessibility.

The Consolidated B-24D Liberator aircraft was a versatile long-range bomber, transport, and reconnaissance plane. It featured four 1,200-horsepower radial engines, a wingspan of 110 feet, and a total length of 67 feet 2 inches. The Liberator had a maximum speed of 300 miles per hour at 30,000 feet and a range of 2,100 miles. Designed for a crew of 12, it was equipped with 10 to 50 machine guns.

The Liberator was assisting RAF Coastal Command on the day of the crash. It departed Holmsley, South Hampshire, at 7:20 AM for an anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay. The weather that day was dreadful, with heavy rain and low clouds. As the aircraft returned around 3:30 PM, it struck the top of Bossington Hill. Debris scattered widely, with parts such as a wheel and undercarriage landing at the bottom of Sparkhayes Lane, while the rest of the plane came down on the marsh.

Only one crew member, Staff Sergeant H. B. Thorpe, survived. The plane’s wreckage was quickly salvaged, leaving little for locals to see.

The war memorial was unveiled in November 1945.

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