Hello:
Does anyone have any information on the crash of an RCAF B25 Mitchell training aircraft in 1944 on Mt Whymper? It is said to have crashed into the side of Whymper. Crew were buried there. Has anyone seen this wreck, walked or hiked near it or heard anything about it?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Paul

Do you mean the Mt Whymper in Vermilion pass in Kootenay park or the one up at the old M+B Chemainus woodland division on Van. Island?

do you have any links to information on this crash?

Judging from his blog, I think he means Van Island http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/20...s-into-mt.html

Paul, did you try google news archives? google books?

From the book Harbour City: Nanaimo in Transition:

The carrier pigeons were put to good use on May 26, 1944, when a RCAF crew of five crashed on 4,600-foot-high Mount Whymper, about 20 miles southwest of Nanaimo. Maffeo was in charge of the rescue party that included game wardens Frank Greenfield and Jim Dewar and RCMP officer Bert Lannock. They flew over the area in a Canso floatplane before finding clothing hanging in the trees near the top of the mountain. The plane had been fully loaded with bombs and had exploded on impact. Pieces of the plane and men were scattered over a half-mile radius. A ground crew of six men was dispatched from Jump Lake on May 29, along with four of Naylor's pigeons. It took until June 3 to reach the site. The birds carried the information back to Nanaimo.

From "Never a time to trust: a story of British Columbia, her pioneers, predators and problems"

Mt. Whymper search party. Left to right; Jim Dewar, Pete Maffeo, Frank Greenfield, Bert Tannock, Lt. Cherry Lee and Cpl. Hails. This was the search party organized to locate the R.C. A.F. bomber that crashed on Mt. Whymper, spring 1944, five killed. Wreckage found, noon June 3, 1944. Horse taken part way to carry supplies. Plane and crew blown to smithereens and scattered for half a mile.

One discussion board I searched had the coordinates at 48 58.5'N 12 411.5'W. If they are correct, it looks like it's about 2 km from the summit on the ridge. I've seen the ridge from a few different angles and it looks quite jagged and more of a climb than a hike.

Also, I've been skunked trying to climb Whymper at this time of the year because of snow on the logging road. It snows lots there and it is shaded so it takes ages to melt. It's a nice drive, but I think you will have trouble getting to the base of the mountain for a few months now.

If you do make an attempt post up what you find!

I read this thread last night, checked out the links, all is very interesting. When I am out that way next summer I may go see the site. Thanks for sharing.

It's maybe a little bite out of the topic of this post, but there is a plane crash on Mt Arrowsmith pretty easy to find in summer time.

Thanks for the info, a google landed me here:
https://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topi...TOPIC_ID=28643

Thanks everyone for your responses, particularly Marko and Hilly. I have only limited information on the crash, but I got in contact with George Williams who is very knowlegable on WW2 plane wrecks in the area. I am not going to attempt to locate the wreck until June-August next year, when I can be sure that all the snow is gone and I have the best chance. I will certainly let you all know what I find on this forum. Someone found my blog - and I'll be posting any future information on that too.

Cheers Paul. And keep weighing in with any suggestions or info you find :-)

Up on mt Whymper today. No sign of the crash and no snow. A fair bit of bear scat. Took a while to find the trail but we marked it a bit more for the next people who venture up. There is a large boulder on the final part of the road so you may need to walk up the road about 500 m or so before you find the cairns.

Hello local hikers to the Cowichan area.

I would like to further this thread. And I have a request for those who would consider helping me.

I am the niece of Harold Magnus Manson who was a Sergeant and gunnarman in the Mitchel that crashed on the mountainside of Mt Whymper, May 1944 while on a military training mission.

Having received and reviewed my uncle's military RCAF records which include details on the crash location.
As previous posts have stated, the crash was on the very steep part of the upper part of the mountain. The military recovery in May 1944, was very limited due to the steep terrain. The recovery included the body remains that could be found and the remains were brought to a location a bit further down the mountain and buried at this specified location as noted in the RCAF documents: 48°56'00.0"N 124°11'00.0"W. on google maps, the location appears to be directly above Youbou and seems that it may be accessible by existing/decommissioned logging roads from Duncan.

At this makeshift burial location, my grandfather accompanied military personnel to visit the burial location and erected a plaque in my uncle's honour. (And the other crew members that also perished).

I would truly like some help in getting a photo of the plaque (if it still exists) or a publication that wild show the plaque.

If anyone has more information from any publications, I would appreciate you sharing.

Thank you,
Georgina Manson
Calgary, Alberta
Email: gg1969@telus.net.

Awesome

It's near the south summit.