Hampden AT196 near Fitling.
During the early hours of 13th April 1942 the crew of this 49 Squadron aircraft were returning from an operational flight to Essen when the aircraft ran out of fuel as it neared the Yorkshire coast. With both engines having cut out at 5,000 feet the pilot ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft on a number of occasions and made good his escape at 1,800 feet believing his crew had left the aircraft through the escape hatches. The aircraft crashed near Charity Farm, Fitling at 05.15hrs but sadly the bodies of three of the crew were found in the wreckage. The pilot received injuries but survived. An investigation concluded that it was likely that either the intercom was out of action and the crew had not heard the order to abandon the aircraft or the escape hatch they were trying to get through was jammed.
Hampden AT196 was built to contract B.67577/40 by English Electric Co.Ltd., at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection in November 1941. It was received by 44 M.U. at High Edzell on 25th January 1942 but was returned to English Electric. 12 M.U. then received the aicraft on 14th February 1942 and it was taken on charge by 49 Squadron at Scampton on 10th March 1942. As a result of the crash near Fitling on 13th April 1942 it was destroyed with Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage being recorded after inspection. It was struck off charge on 20th April 1942.
Pilot - Sgt James Trevor James RAFVR (1256584). Injured.
Observer - Sgt William John Marshall RCAF (R/75097), aged 21, of Harris, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Camelon Cemetery, Falkirk, Stirlingshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Taylor RAFVR (989480), aged 24, of Kearsley, Lancashire. Buried Ringley Churchyard, Kearsley, Lancashire.
Air Gunner - Sgt James Thompson Smith RAFVR (1331244), aged 20 Of ? Buried Brandesburton Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Sgt Smith's grave at Brandesburton. CWGC list no personal information for him.
Sgt Marshall's grave in Camelon Cemetery, Falkirk. Photograph found on the internet and credit to "A.P.Anderson". He was born on 27th June 1942 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of William and Margaret (nee Proctor) Marshall but later lived with his family at Harris, Saskatchewan. As a young man he studied civil engineering at the University of Saskatchewan but left two years into the course to enlist into the RCAF. He enlisted on 9th October 1940 in Saskatoon and after training in Canada he was awarded his air observer's flying badge on 7th June 1941. Arriving in the UK in August 1941 he trained at 16 OTU before being posted to 408 Squadron on 11th January 1942. He was later posted to 44 Squadron on 21st January 1942 and to 49 Squadron on 28th February 1942. He was buried under his uncle's arrangements at Falkirk from where his father had previously lived before emigrating. His parents appear to have later moved to Vancouver, British Columbia by the time the CWGC compiled their records.
Sgt Taylor's grave in Ringley Churchyard, Lancashire. Photograph found on the internet and credit to the 49 Squadron association website.
James James was an Australian national, he recovered from his injuries and resumed flying following the incident at Fitling. He received a commission on 16th April 1943
to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) (149602) rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 16th October 1943. He was Mentioned in Despatches with a hugh number of airmen on 8th June 1944. He was selected to join the Path Finder Force as a pilot and after training at PFFNTU he was posted to 156 Squadron on 26th October 1944 with his new crew. He flew his first operational flight with 156 Squadron PFF on 29th October 1944 to Walcheren in Lancaster NE132. In total he flew thirty one operational flights with 156 Squadron with the last being on 30th April 1945 to mark targets for dropping food on Rotterdam. He was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 16th April 1945 and awarded the DFC for service with 156 Squadron and notification appeared in the London Gazette on 17th July 1945. No citation has been located.