Fairy Lochs facts for kids
The Fairy Lochs are a beautiful group of small freshwater lochs (lakes) in the Scottish Highlands. They are located about 2 miles (3 km) south-east of Badachro village, near Gairloch in Wester Ross. People started calling them the 'Fairy Lochs' because they are close to a hill named 'Sìthean Mòr'. This name means 'Big Fairy Hill' in Scots Gaelic.
The lochs are near Loch Bràigh Horrisdale. Water from this loch flows into the Badachro River. There are several large waterfalls in the area. Sìthean Mor hill looks over the Fairy Lochs and the bay of Loch Gairloch.
The Fairy Lochs are in a remote area. You can reach them by walking over farmland and along paths through marshy ground.
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Remembering a World War II Plane Crash
Quick facts for kids USAAF 42-95095 crash site, Fairy Lochs |
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| Scotland, United Kingdom | |
Aircraft wreckage arranged to form a simple memorial
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| For The crew & passengers of USAAF 42-95095, lost in an air crash on 13 June 1945, | |
| Location | 57°40′35″N 5°40′40″W / 57.676277°N 5.677818°W near Badachro, Wester Ross
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IN MEMORY OF THE CREW AND PASSENGERS OF A B-24-H LIBERATOR BOMBER, SERIAL NO. 42-95095, WHICH BECAME LOST WHILE RETURNING TO THE U.S.A. ON JUNE 13TH, 1945, AND CRASHED AT THIS PLACE WITH THE LOSS OF ALL ON BOARD.
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Even though they are small and remote, the Fairy Lochs are famous for a sad reason. They are the crash site of an American World War II bomber plane.
The Crash of the B-24 Liberator
On June 13, 1945, a USAAF B-24 Liberator bomber was flying back to the USA. World War II had just ended. The plane, with serial number 42-95095, had been based at Warton Aerodrome in England. It was leaving from Prestwick Airfield in Scotland.
There were nine crew members from the 66th Bomber Squadron on board. Six passengers from the Air Transport Command were also on the plane. In total, 15 people were flying that day.
The plane was supposed to fly over Stornoway in the Western Isles. This route would take it to Keflavík (Meeks Field) in Iceland. However, for unknown reasons, the aircraft flew over the Scottish mainland instead.
The Tragic Accident
As the plane flew over Wester Ross, it started to lose height. It hit the top of Slioch mountain, which is 980 meters (3,215 feet) high. Parts of its bomb bay doors broke off. The plane kept flying towards Gairloch.
The pilots tried to make an emergency landing. But the aircraft crashed into rocks and then into the Fairy Lochs. Wreckage from the plane was scattered over a large area. All 15 people on board died in the accident.
The Memorial Site
Today, much of the wreckage from the plane is still there. Pieces of the plane's body can be seen in the wet ground. A propeller and an engine stick out of the loch. This area is considered a war grave. Visitors are asked not to disturb the wreckage out of respect.
A special memorial plaque was put up by the families and friends of those who died. It lists the names of everyone who was lost in the crash.
This crash was not the only one in the area. In 1951, another military plane, an Avro Lancaster, crashed on Beinn Eighe. This mountain is near Slioch, on the other side of Loch Maree.
