Mid B Farley

Memorial
Title

Mid B Farley - Cross

Images

Locations

Last known location:
The Cloughs
(Moorland hillside)
Pennine Way
Edale Head
Kinder Scout
Derbyshire

Nearest postcode:
S33 7ZJ

NGR:
SK 08895 86835 ±5m

Location details:
About 2km northwest of Upper Booth in the Hope Valley. In remote inhospitable moorland on the southwestern flank of Kinder Plateau, between Jacob's Ladder and Pym Chair, a few metres south of the un-named footpath between Noe Stool, Pym Chair and Crowdon Tower.

Type

Overall type: Cross.

Overall condition: Fair. The inscription is legible.

Description:

A wooden cross with an oblong brass plaque. The plaque has an incised inscription in upright capital block lettering.

The memorial lies adjacent to debris from the aircraft.

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Cross	Wood	300	270	25	Fair
Plaque	Brass	35	105	2	Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

IN MEMORY OF
MIDSHIPMAN B. FARLEY.
AIRCRAFT HARVARD FT415
CRASHED HERE 14.1.52.

Conflicts and people commemorated
Conflict	Non-combat death in service
Number died	1
Number served and returned	0
Total names	1

Administration

Custodians:
The land is owned and managed by the National Trust but it is believed that the memorial was provided and installed by private individuals.

Local Authorities:
After WW2: Edale Parish Council, Chapel en le Frith Rural District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
Since 1974: Edale Parish Council, High Peak Borough Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History

17th April, 1951: The memorial lies in the Peak District National Park designated on that date.

2nd August, 2012: The memorial was recorded by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot. It was in fair condition but vegetation is slowly engulfing the cross - it was much shorter than it appears in older photographs.

References

Peakland Air Crashes, The North; Pat Cunningham; Landmark Collectors Library; 2006;
ISBN 1 84306 330 1; pp76-77.

The Peak District Air Accident Research page carries a description and photographs.

Comments

Peakland Air Crashes gives considerable detail of the circumstances surrounding the crash including:
The aircraft was a North American Harvard Mk2B FT415 of 22 Flying Training School, 23 Group, Flying Training Command, from RAF Syerston, Newark, Nottinghamshire.
The pupil pilot, who was killed, was Midshipman Brian Farley, Royal Naval Air Service.
The accident occurred on moorland north-east of Hayfield, on 14th January 1952.
The memorial is described as “… an inscribed cross, and some associated chiselling by a member of the salvage team on a flat rock nearby.”