Three children and two people in the plane were killed as a result of this horrific crash
May 3 marks the 49th anniversary of one of the most catastrophic events in the history of the Cambridgeshire town of Huntingdon. The horrific event took place on May 3, 1977, when an RAF plane crashed into houses which resulted in five death.
The accident happened on Norfolk Road in Huntingdon and led to the deaths of three children and two air pilots. At about 11am, the Canberra was on its way back to RAF Wyton near Huntingdon after a routine training flight.
About two miles from the end of the runway, it crashed by some houses in the estate of Oxmoor. It is believed that the plane crash was caused by the pilot losing control.
Sisters Kelly Middleton and Tracey Middleton, aged two and four respectively, and baby Adrian Thompson who was only three and a half months old, all died. The pilot, Flt Lt John Armitage, 27, and navigator Fly Lt Lawrence Davies, 26, were also killed in the crash.
The event is still felt by locals of Huntingdon today. In 2017, Huntingdon Town Council unveiled a memorial bench and five tree plaques to mark the 40th anniversary and to remember the lives lost. The memorial is located on Norfolk Road near the site of the crash.
In 2023, the council, with representatives from RAF Wyton, held a ceremony at the memorial and installed an interpretation board to tell the story of the tragedy. Sunday, May 3, Huntingdon Town Council about posted the anniversary, marking 49 years to remember those “who lost their lives, and all those who were affected”.
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