YOU probably don't know that an RAF plane once dropped in (or on!) Affetside. It came as a surprise, too, recently, to Jim Francis, of the Turton Local History Society, because when some time ago he wrote the "History of Affetside", it was not mentioned!

Mr Francis, of Old Ned's Farm, Bradshaw, is currently researching the Knotts and Ridings Gate area of Harwood for another booklet in the fascinating series about the Turton area.

You may recall that some weeks ago I showed you a couple of old pictures from Top 'th' Knotts Farm, sent to me by Mrs Margaret Standish (nee Scowcroft), and following that I was able to put Mr Francis and Mrs Standish in contact. As a result, they were able to have some very interesting discussions about the area, and, says Mr Francis, "she loaned me a number of additional photographs, and as well as many relating to Knotts there were several of Affetside, where all the Scowcrofts of Top o'th' Knotts went to school and chapel."

And that was where the plane comes in, because today's pictures were among those he got from Mrs Standish. "They show an RAF biplane of 1920s/30s vintage, and we were able to date the time of the pictures as late 1930 early 1931. They feature Jane Scowcroft of Top o'th' Knotts Farm, who is the mother of the owner of these photos, John Hilton, of Bolton (she is also Aunt to Margaret Standish),

"The little lad on one of the smaller pictures is Jim Scowcroft, retired farmer of Top o'th' Knotts Farm, now living in Bromley Cross, who is Uncle to both Margaret and John. In Jim, we have the last witness of the plane which landed on the field behind Affetside Chapel/School, which he says was forced to land because of a shortage of petrol! He and other locals helped to steady it on take-off - after, of course, filling it up.

Mr Francis continues: "I decided to find out some details about the aircraft, and wrote to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, sending them a copy of the photograph. Peter Devitt, the Assistant Curator, was most helpful and sent copies from the records of the aircraft and the squadron to which it belonged.

"The aircraft was an Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, No K1025, delivered by the makers to RAF Andover on August 26, 1930, joining 13 Squadron until August, 1933, when it was transferred to No. 2 Aircraft Storage Unit at Cardington until the plane was finally 'struck off charge' on October 24, 1934 and presumably scrapped.

"Unfortunately, the RAF Museum had no information as to why the aircraft had to land."

Mr Francis gives me more detail about the history of No 13 Squadron, which was formed during the First World War, in January, 1915, at Gosport, moving to France in October engaged on Artillery Observation and Photographic reconnaissance. The Squadron returned to the UK, and was disbanded on December 31, 1919. It was then re-formed at Kenley in April, 1924, as an Army Co-operation Squadron, and in the 1930s were flying Atlases and Audaxes from Nothernoon, from where K1025 came to Affetside. The Squadron was equipped progressively with Blenheims, Baltimores, and Bostons during the Second World War, seeing service in Europe, North Africa, as well as Italy and Greece.

"Quite an historic squadron to have an aircraft drop in on Affetside."

And Mr Francis points out that from the original pictures of Top o'th' Knotts Farm sent to me by Mrs Standish, to the story of the aircraft "well illustrates the value of the Looking Back feature - one thing leads to another, and another . . ."