On 23rd June 1942 this No.15 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit aircraft was being flown on a training exercise that involved a degree of Army Co-operation flying experience. The pilot was flying solo with a ground unit in the Fylingdales area when it struck high tension cables whilst flying low, with the aircraft having sustained minor damage in the initial collision, probably propeller damage, he made a forced landing in the Lockton area at about 09.40hrs. The pilot was lucky and appears to have escaped uninjured. It was suggested that had there had been someone else on board, acting as a safety pilot and look-out, then the accident may not have happened. The aircraft was being used at Acaster Malbis although the 15 (P)A.F.U. was officially based at Leconfield and used the Acaster site as a relief landing ground.
Pilot - P/O Reginald Arthur Adams RAFVR (120400).
Researching a basic biography for this pilot has proven slightly confusing. On the casualty file (AIR81) for the Oxford incident it mentions two people to be informed of any injury but not a parents; they were a sister, Mrs L Rayworth, of Ealing, and step-brother W Lewis, of Stoke Newington.
Searching the birth index and subsequent records for a birth of a Reginald Arthur Adams around 1920 in the London area, only one fits. This is for someone born on 16th July 1922 in the Hackney area with mother's maiden name of Burton. Here the confusing part starts. The only wedding that fits for Adams / Burton around this time is for an Alfred Charles Adams and a Dorothy Victoria Burton in Tooting in 1921 but they only appear to have had two children (Doris Victoria born 12th July 1922 and Ronald Alfred born 17th July 1925). As it stands I do not believe that Reginald was one of their children. These siblings do not match those on the AIR81 casualty file. What I believe are these correct sibings are in the 1921 Census and were two children of a John Lewis and Matlida Eliza Burton. They are Lilian Alexandra Lewis (born 19th October 1902) and William Albert Leon Lewis (born 21st September 1910). In the 1921 Census, Matilda Lewis and her children Lilian and William were living with an Alfred Charles Adams in Hackney. Arthur is listed as head of household (born Finchingfield, Essex in 1876), Matilda Lewis is listed as "Wife" but with the different surname. She had married a John Lewis in 1898 and they had at least six children including the two already mentioned. I strongly believe that Reginald was the son of Alfred Adams and Matilda Lewis (nee Burton) though I would welcome contact from anyone knowing more. Buying his birth certificate will give the answer.
In the 1939 Register Reginald Adams was working as a guillotine operator at a papermill and living at Stoke Newington. He was living with his sister Lilian Alexandra and her husband Bernard Frederick E Rayworth. When he enlisted into the RAF is not known but he would train as a pilot in Canada, possibly receiving his wings around the same time as then receiving a commission on 30th January 1942. He married Kathleen Hilda Agombar in late-1943 Shoreditch, London. Having risen to F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service with 515 Squadron (Gazetted 1st January 1944). 515 Squadron flew Mosquitoes at this stage in the War and were deployed in German radar jamming duties. The citation was a combined one with a number of other 515 Squadron personnel, it reads.. "One night in October 1944, these officers and airmen took part in an operation involving a minelaying mission. Their task, which necessitated a high degree of skill and perfect co-ordination, was to detract the concentrated fire of the defences. Gun positions and searchlight defences were relentlessly attacked and a number of them put out of action. The results obtained reflect the greatest credit on the ability and resolution displayed by these officers and airmen, whose efforts contributed materially to the success of a hazardous mission." Died in September 1977 at Highams Park, London.
Oxford N6379 was built to contract 777546/38 by Airspeed at Portsmouth and was delivered directly to 13 FTS at Drem on 29th July 1939. The unit became 13 SFTS on 3rd September 1939 then disbanded on 27th October 1939 when the aircraft was placed in MU storage. It was issued to 5 SFTS at Sealand on 19th April 1940, transferred to 3 SFTS at South Cerney on 31st July 1940 before being transferred to 15 SFTS at Brize Norton on 6th November 1941. This unit transferred to Leconfield in February 1942 and was re-designated 15(P)AFU on 1st March 1942. The aircraft appears to have suffered only minor in the above incident near Lockton, possibly downgraded to minor Cat.Ac/FA (although the Am1180 states Cat.B which ususally saw repairs being made in a works factory). It appears to have either been repaired on site or returned to unit for repair as it continued to serve with 15(P)AFU until being transferred to MU storage on 9th September 1942. It was later issued to ATA HQ Flight at White Waltham on 7th November 1942 and served with them until 25th August 1943 when the aircraft was moved once again to MU storage. It was then issued to Station Flight, RAF Broadwell on 19th February 1944 and was transferred to Station Flight RAF Kemble on 4th June 1944. It was eventually struck off charge on 12th March 1945.
The exact location where the aircraft came down is not known by me although there is a suggestion that it could have clipped cables that ran (and still run) near where the modern Hole of Horcum carpark is at the top of Saltergate Bank and crashed onto flat moorland to the west of the bend on the bank. A wartime map reference found in a police list puts it on this flat ground. A mention of a "Spitfire" aircraft crash landing in "Smith's Field, David Lane" on a Facebook post I came across may also refer to this Oxford incident and given the same set of wires pass this general area the location may actually turn out to be correct as the incident in this location cannot really be any of the other known incidents that occurred in this area. I received an email in the early days of my research to suggest that this aircraft could well have slid over the edge of the Hole of Horcum, coming to rest in the trees near the bottom of the hill (shown in the photograph above). I have no written documentary evidence to actually back up this story however and find this hard to believe as the crash report states the damage to have been minor which must surely not back this story up. Had the aircraft ploughed its was down the hillside then surely it would have been more badly damaged. Staff at RAF Fylingdales are known to have referred to an unknown aircraft crash just outside their southern boundary, this may also relate to the Oxford incident, or possibly to Hampden AD785, known to have come down to the northern side of what is now Dalby Forest. As such and because of the wide variety of locations suggested I therefore have yet to locate the crash site of the Oxford. Any assistance would be appreciated.