Hampden P1327 at Lindholme airfield.
During the night of 31st July / 1st August 1940 the crew of this 50 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to undertake mine laying. They left Lindholme at 21.15hrs
and during the return leg of the flight and while some fifty miles off Flamborough Head the pilot had moved out of his seat to allow the observer sit his the pilot seat to
gain some flying experience. As the men switched seats the aircraft went out of control and entered a vertical dive towards the North Sea from which the pilot was able to
regain control but not until the aircraft had suffered some over-stressing. A landing was made at Driffield at 03.40hrs without incident in precaution and it was checked over and deemed flyable so the crew flew it back to Lindholme later that morning. The aircraft was then given a more detailed examination and was found to have been overstressed and was not repaired. It was then converted for use as a ground instruction airframe.
Pilot - S/Ldr Russell John Oxley RAF (37544).
Observer - Sgt Thomas.
? - Sgt Fullerton.
? - P/O Frank Pichel-Juan RAF (77950).
Russell Oxley was probably born in the Edmonton area of Middlesex in 1915, he was granted a short service commission in the RAF as Acting P/O on probation on 27th January 1936
and was posted to 218 Squadron in January 1937 and 15 Squadron in June 1937. When he rose to F/O is not known but he rose to F/Lt on 19th November 1939 and to S/Ldr (temp) on 9th
September 1941. He was awarded the DFC with 50 Squadron (Gazetted on 7th March 1941) and was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1943. As Acting W/Co he was awarded the DSO with 50 Squadron (Gazetted on 31st March 1942). The citation reads.. "This officer was the pilot of the leading Hampden bomber of a squadron selected to
give direct air support in the combined operations on Vaagso. Perfect co-ordination was maintained and attacks were carried out, mostly below 300 feet, exactly as planned.
In the face of opposition, Wing Commander Oxley himself attacked from only 100 feet, while his wireless operator and rear gunner machine-gunned the defences. His aircraft
was hit several times by shell-fire and one shell jammed the rudder. Despite this, Wing Commander Oxley flew the damaged aircraft back to this country and made a
safe landing. He displayed inspiring leadership, skill-and courage throughout." He survived the War and remained in the RAF following the Post-War cut backs. As W/Co he was awarded the MBE in the 1955 New Year Honours List (Gazetted 29th December 1954). He rose to G/Cpt on 1st July 1955. A Russell J Oxley died in Carmarthen in 1964 and he could well be the same man and if so was a reasonably young man when he died.
Hampden P1327 was built to contract 773239/38 by Handley Page Ltd. at either the Cricklewood or Radlett factories and was allotted to 20 M.U. at Aston Down on 27th November 1939. It was then taken on charge at 20 M.U. at Aston Down on 11th January 1940 where it remained until being issued to 50 Squadron based at Waddington on 10th April 1940. It sustained Cat.B/FB battle damage on the night of 9th / 10th June 1940 on ops over France. On 13th June 1940 it was transported by 4 M.U. to Field Aircraft Services, Ltd. at Tollerton for repair. It was then returned to 50 Squadron at Lindholme on the day they moved from Waddington, 10th July 1940. Following the overstressing detailed above it was inspected some time later on 19th September 1940 and after inspection it was certified for instructional use only. The aircraft then disappeared from the records, presumably it was in a storage unit until 31st December 1942 when it was issued to No.11 School of Technical Training at Hereford where it remained until being struck off charge on 31st May 1943.