Hampden L4166 at Doncaster airfield.
On the 19th of November 1939 this pilot was practicing solo take-off and landings at Doncaster and the
pilot made a heavy landing on this small aerodrome and finished up in a hedge on the boundary.
The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Hammpden L4166 was built to contract 549267/36 by Handley Page Ltd at Radlett and delivered to 7 Squadron who were based at Finningley in April 1939. It was transferred, on an as yet unspecified
date to 144 Squadron based at Hemswell. Following the incident detailed above the aircaft was assessed and it was deemed beyond repair and Cat. W/FA recorded.
Pilot - Sgt Harold Shields, uninjured.
Harold Shields was awarded the DFM on 19th September 1940, any details of this have to be found but it was probably for completing a Tour with 144 Squadron. He was later posted to 83 Squadron.
The date of his commission is not yet known but as P/O (47713) he was awarded the DFC with 83 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th August 1942. The citation found in "Flight" archives is a joint one and
it reads.. "One day in July 1942 S/Ldr Hilton and P/O's
Partridge and Shields were pilots whilst F/Sgt Kleeman was a navigator in a force of aircraft which participated in a daylight attack on a target in the Ruhr. When reaching the
enemy's coast it was apparent that very little clond cover was available and the attack would have to be made in the face of fierce opposition. Despite this, the aircraft flew on, and, by superb
airmanship and magnificent crew co-operation, the German defences were evaded and the target was bombed successfully."
He was made to F/Lt on 1st September 1943 and later awarded the AFC (no details have been found as yet). He was also MiD with a huge number of other RAF officers on 14th January 1944.
He was promoted to S/Ldr on 4th November 1944. Post-War he remained in the RAF as a S/Ldr initially with the General Duties Branch, but he transferred to the Aircraft Control Branch
with effect from 6th March 1948.