Date:	Tuesday 12 February 1946
Time:	12:00 LT
Type:	North American P-51C Mustang Mk III
Owner/operator:	309 (Ziemia Czerwienska) Sqn RAF
Registration:	FB210
MSN:	103-22541
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Waldershare Park, Eythorne, 7 miles NNW of Dover, Kent -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Coltishall, Norwich, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
North American P-51C Mustang Mk. III FB210 "WC-P" of 309 'Ziemia Czerwienska' (Polish) Squadron, RAF (ex-USAAF 42-103104, MSN 103-22541): Written off (destroyed) 12 February 1946 when pilot lost control and aircraft dived into the ground at Waldershare Park, Eythorne, 7 miles North-North-West of Dover, Kent. Pilot Killed. The Mustang broke away from a formation, shortly before entering cloud. The aircraft subsequently crashed out of control. It is possible - but not proven - that the pilot lost control of the aircraft when "flying blind" in cloud, relying purely on instruments. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Dover Express" - Friday 15 February 1946)

"AIRPLANE CRASH AT WALDERSHARE.
A Mustang fighter, being flown by a Polish officer attached to the R.A.F. crashed in flames on the Earl of Guilford's estate at Waldershare Park about midday on Tuesday. The aircraft was seen to catch fire in the air and dive to the ground, where it buried itself to a depth of about ten feet. The N.F.S., under Company Officer Muddle, from Dover, with a pump escape and water tender, put out the flames, and found the body of the pilot, Flying Officer Krus, buried under the wreckage. Lord Guilford was among those who saw the aircraft crash, and gave the first report. After telephoning the Police and N.F.S. he informed Manston and Hawkinge aerodromes.

The inquest was held at Waldershare Park, by Mr. Rutley Mowll, the East Kent Coroner, on Thursday. P.C. White, Eythorne, said he arrived at the scene of the crash at 12.15 p.m., and the machine was burning. Fire Service personnel arrived about 10 minutes later, and eventually the body was recovered from under the wreckage. It was a Mustang single seater. In the pocket of the battle dress blouse of the deceased, he found a wallet containing identity cards in deceased's name. There was no evidence the plane collided with a tree. Lord Guilford was very helpful, and allowed the body to be taken to the Mortuary, used when the mansion was a hospital.

Flight-Lieut. Jan Mozolowski, of the same Squadron, stationed at Coltishall, Norfolk, said he was satisfied that the body was that of Leonard Krus, whom he saw about an hour before he took off on the fatal flight. About an hour after the flight started, he was seen to "peel off" from the rest of the squadron. The weather was not good, and they were entering low clouds. He may have been a little unsure of his position. He was an experienced pilot, but chiefly on other types of planes. If he was turning at the time, he may have lost flying speed. Krus had over 1200 flying hours to his credit. His father lived at Poznan, Poland.

Jack Thatcher, of 4, Fir Cottages, Sandwich Rd., Eythorne, said that was in Waldershare Park with a fellow miner named Otto. They heard a plane which sounded to be flying low. When they saw it, it was low and as it got near the ground it began to turn. It appeared to be out of control and losing height. When the plane hit the ground about 200 yards from him it burst into flames. He did not see the plane turning before it started to come down.

Edward J.D. Honey, gamekeeper to Lord Guilford, said he heard the roar of planes coming from the direction of the coast. He could not see them as the clouds were very low. Whilst looking up he heard a terrific explosion, and he saw smoke and dirt go into the air. He did not see the plane until after it crashed.

Technical W.O. Alexander Radley, of Manston, expressed the opinion that deceased came out of the clouds to find his exact whereabouts, and struck the ground. If he turned, he would be apt to lose flying speed and height. Flight-Lieut. Ivor E. J. Thomas, Medical Officer at Manston, said that cause of death was multiple injuries caused by the plane's impact with the ground. The burning was subsequent. The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure."

Pilot: Podporucznik (Flying Officer (Pilot)) Leonard Krus (Polish Air Force) Polish Air Force Service Number P2659/RAF Service Number 793704 - killed in a flying accident 12 February 1946. Buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey

The reported crash location of Eythorne is a civil parish and small village of about 1,000 homes, 7.3 miles NNW of Dover in Kent

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.31 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946-1949 by Colin Cummings p.68
3. 309 (Ziemia Czerwienska) Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-5-1945 to 31-12-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/1679/51: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8438186
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.95: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. http://www.polishairforce.pl/dyw309straty.html
6. http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-bin/gzUsafSearch.pl?target=&content=Mustang
7. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html
8. https://www.armedconflicts.com/No-309-Squadron-RAF-t47665
9. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3601.0
10. https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/78597/Krus-Leonard.htm
11. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/7503771/krus,-leonard/
12. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108105483/leonard-krus
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldershare
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eythorne
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherdswell_with_Coldred

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
06-Feb-2020 23:34	Dr. John Smith	Added
06-Feb-2020 23:42	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative]
06-Feb-2020 23:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
06-Feb-2020 23:48	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
07-Feb-2020 09:27	Iwosh	Updated [Operator, Operator]
17-Feb-2020 16:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Registration, Narrative]
15-Jul-2023 00:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Registration, Narrative]]