24/08/2026
On 23 August 1944, a devastating tragedy struck the small village of Freckleton, Lancashire, changing it forever.
During a severe storm, a U.S. Army Air Forces 8th AF B-24H Liberator bomber, Classy Chassis II, lost control during a test flight and crashed directly into the village. The 25-ton aircraft demolished the popular "Sad Sack" Snack Bar before plunging into the infants' wing of Holy Trinity School, triggering a massive fireball.
The disaster claimed 61 lives, including 38 children aged 4 to 6 and 2 teachers. In a matter of minutes, Freckleton lost a generation of its youth. Almost five per cent of the village's population died in the Freckleton air disaster. Seven of the child victims were either first or second cousins to one other.
Amidst the horrific destruction, incredible acts of bravery saved lives. One of those children was just an 8-year-old boy sitting in the senior classroom when the aircraft struck, his name was Tom Fare, my dad.
As fire engulfed the building, Tom and his classmates fled through the cloakroom into the playground, only to find themselves trapped by a locked iron gate and walls too high to scale.
American servicemen from the nearby BAD2 Warton base scrambled over the walls into the smoke-filled yard. Working rapidly, the airmen began lifting the children and throwing them over the high wall into the safety of the churchyard, where other service members caught them. Tom was one of those rescued children, running all the way home to his family's farm after being tossed over the wall.
We honour the memory of those who were lost, celebrate the miracles of those who survived, and remember the enduring bond forged between a grieving British village and the American airmen who raced into the flames to save them.
Lest we forget. 🌹🇬🇧🇺🇸
