MOSQUITO LR412

Located on Aran Fawaddy in Snowdonia National Park ,North Wales.

Propellor and hub with partial reduction gear .

On wednesday the 9th February 1944 Mosquito Mk.IX LR412 of Squadron No. 540 of the RAF, crashed onto the higher slopes of Aran Fawddwy , Snowdonia , SSW of the summit itself .

Both crewmen were killed in the crash .
Pilot- F/O Marek Slonski, PAF

Nav- F/Lt Paul Riches DFC, RAF


They were flying out of RAF Benson and were testing two new flaps .

Both pilot and navigator were very experienced , F/Lt Riches having been awarded the DFC in 1943.

The weather was not too bad ,some cloud but not extensive . The crash does seem to have some mystery surrounding it , the propellor does not appear to have been turning on collision with the ground ,yet a Mosquito could fly comfortably on one engine . Visability was reportedly quite reasonable and both were experienced men .

They are buried together at Chessington , St Mary, cemetery, Surrey.

The aircraft itself had taken part in many operations over enemy territory.

540 Squadron operated successfully has a photo -reconnaissance unit . Aircraft of this unit carried no squadron markings so has not to be easily identified if shot down over enemy territory