On 5th October 1940 the crew of this aircraft took off from Cottesmore to carry out a night navigation exercise. The crew became lost in bad visibilty (and with possibly a problem with the wireless set), the pilot descended through cloud to try and help work out their position. At 20.20hrs the aircraft struck the ground near How Tallon, a location roughly ten miles south of the main A66 road, the aircraft crashed through a stone wall and caught fire. The crew were able to get clear of the wreckage before it burnt out though one of the crew had broken both his legs in the crash. The four crew dragged themselves to a nearby hut on the hilltop to await rescue. One presumes the other two, being less injured went for help. Sadly their full identities are not yet known.
Pilot - P/O Derrick John Fielder RAFVR (80837).
? - Sgt Hawes RAF. Injured.
? - Sgt White RAF.
? - Sgt Gray RAF. Injured.
Derrick Fielder is listed on a Rhodesian Aircrew roll of honour website which would suggest that he was not born in the UK. He had trained at 6 FTS and had gained his Wings in October 1939. On 9th May 1940 the then Sgt Fielder crashed 14 OTU's Hereford L6016 in Leicestershire whilst on a training exercise. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 18th June 1940 (seniority of 25th April 1940). P/O Fielder was sadly killed on 28th December 1940 when Hampden P2097 was flying in failed to return from a raid on Lorient with 83 Squadron. By this stage he appears to have been dropped as a pilot and was now a navigator. Hampden P2097 crashed in Berkshire with the loss of the four crew. He is buried Chislehurst Churchyard, Kent.
The full identities of the other three airmen are not yet known.
I located the crash site in June 2007. On the way to try and find the site I bumped into the landowner who directed me to the site and told me much of the above. The wall was later rebuilt and the burnt area has recovered fairly well in the 67 years since the crash. I would like to thank the farmer for his help and time assisting me with this research. I did not get his name.
Hampden P2072 was built to contract 952962/38 by E.E.C. Ltd. at Salmesbury and was awaiting collection in March 1940. After a period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 14 OTU at Cottesmore when the unit formed on 8th April 1940 or soon after this date. Following the accident in the Pennines Cat.W/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft written off.