30th July 2015
Eighteenth of March 1944 an aircraft took of from a war time
airfield in Ayr, Scotland. The flight was a navigational exercise over the
local countryside. Mystery surrounds this flight, as no one knows exactly what
happened. Witness statements say “that the aircraft came out off the clouds in
a steep dive and never recovered, hit the side of a hill in deep woodland,
killing the pilot”.
This story has interested me for many years, partly because I
live near the old airfield and I have walked and cycled these hills all my
adult life. So I decided to investigate the incident in more detail. The
internet is a great tool, I got more information about the type of aircraft
which was a Hawker Hurricane mk 1V based at Ayr Heathfield. The pilot was PO
Roswell Murray MacTavish, a twenty four year old Canadian attached to 439 Tiger
Squadron RCAF. MacTavish is now buried in Ayr cemetery.
I also managed to get the map co-ordinates for the crash
site which would save me a lot of time searching the area. I loaded the
co-ordinates into my GPS grabbed the map, compass and loaded up the bike.
I parked the car at the Dalmellington end of Loch Doon as I
wanted to make a day of the ride and there was ample parking and a large grassy
area with picnic tables.
From here I cycled out of the car park and turned left up
the tarred road through the hills. As you travel along this tarred road you get
your first sight of Loch Doon, then you cross a narrow bridge. It was at this
point that I could smell the coffee, bacon and sausages being cooked. The smell
was coming from a carry – out shop called the Roundhouse. As I passed the
Roundhouse the smell of the coffee was so enticing it took all my inner
strength not to stop, but I made a mental note to stop on my return trip.
The first sight of Loch Doon
Carry on along this road and you come to the second narrow
bridge which you cross over. After a few kilometres you arrive at Loch Doon
Castle. The castle is worth a short visit to take some photo’s and you also get
great views of the Loch itself. (you could also park here if you were walking
to the crash site).
Views along the side of Loch Doon
Loch Doon Castle
Inside the Castle
From the castle you continue on the tarred road till you
come to a junction. If you turn right the forest road will take you over to
Loch Finlas, straight on is the forest drive road over to Loch Bradan, however
you take the forest road to the left and you skirt round the bottom edge of
Loch Doon. You get fantastic views up Loch Doon at this point. Follow the
forest road and you pass a small cottage called Starr. This has been unoccupied
for many years and the windows are bricked up. From here continue along the
road and pass the junction on your right, take the next junction to the left.
After a short time stop. If you go too far along this road you end up at a
small farm. This is where your route planning skills are tested. If you have
planned the trip right you should be next to a fire break, this is where you
start to hike-a-bike up through the trees or so I thought!!!
Looking up the Glen towards Loch Riecawr
Starr Cottage
My plan was to get to these co-ordinates and hike myself and
the bike to the crash site. After about 50 meters up the fire break, sweat and sore
legs later, I decided to dump the bike. The grass was long, wet and very boggy,
every second step I took my legs sank up to the knees in gore. I marked the
position on my GPS, grabbed the camera and the water bottle and set off up the
hill.
After about 1 km – 1.5 km I came across a new forest road
that is not marked on my maps. (I will have to find out where this goes to some
day) From the road I crossed straight over and back in to the trees, I took
five minutes here to catch my breath, it was a hard climb as there is a lot of
trees blown down and you have to make a lot of detours which takes time and
agility. From the new forest road you are only a few hundred meters from the
crash site.
Continuing up through the trees you eventually come to the
crash site. There is still wreckage spread over a fairly wide area. Most of the
wreckage is the alloy frame work, but there is also an engine and what appears
to be gears. The crater from the impact is still visible even after all these
years.
The Hurricane Engine
Some of the debris from the crash
The crater made by the impact
I spent some time here thinking how lucky this country was
to have such young men and women prepared to put their life’s on the line to
defend it from the Germans. After a while I started back down the hill and
located my bike. (great things these GPS’s) I then headed back the way I came
as there is no trail up this side of the Loch that you can ride.
On my way back the bike mysteriously stopped at the Roundhouse,
so I just had to go in and get a bacon roll. I carried on back to the car park
and had my bacon roll and coffee from my flask at the picnic tables, BRILLIANT.
The ride was very interesting because of the history
involved. I would certainly do it again, probably looking to use the new forest
road that I found. Maybe I could talk my son Duncan into a wild camp come cycle
ride here at some point.
