On 15th September 1940 this 220 Squadron aircraft lost height soon after taking off for an airtest from Thornaby airfield after suffering engine failure and crashed soon after at 15.30hrs at Stainsby Hall Farm. The aircraft struck the ground and ran into trees where the wreckage caught fire and later burnt out. The pilot died but those others on the aircraft survived although sustained burns.
Hudson N7233 was built to contract 791587/38 by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California and was shipped to the UK, arriving in June 1940. On arrival in the UK it was roaded to The British Re-Assembly Division of Lockheed Ltd. at Speke and after assembly and testing it was flown to 9 MU on 3rd July 1939. It was taken on charge by 220 Squadron at Thornaby on 23rd September 1939. It sustained Cat.W/FA Burnt damage following the crash at Stainsby Hall Farm on 15th September 1940 that saw it struck off charge on 2nd October 1940.
Pilot - P/O John Irvine Humphreys RAF (43202), aged 24. Cremated Darlington Crematorium, Co.Durham.
Pilot - P/O Ronald Billings RAFVR (77457). Injured.
Ground Crew - AC1 Sidney Hildreth RAF (632461). Injured.
Ground Crew - LAC Thomas Gordon Bellas RAF (570267). Injured.
John Humphreys was probably born in Cardiff in 1915. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st April 1940. His wife Eileen Humphreys was from Thornham, Norfolk and it seems likely that they had met when 220 Squadron was based at Bircham Newton, Norfolk and married in the Fakenham area in 1939.
Ronald Billings received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st February 1940 rising to F/O (war subs) on 1st February 1941 and F/Lt (war subs) on 1st February 1942. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1946. He remained in the RAF until 29th May 1976 when he reliquished his rank of S/Ldr. He had transferred between a number of branches between 1946 and 1976 and for many years had been serving in the R(Aux)AF. This is a remarkable period of service for which he appears to have had little official recognition.