Hampden X3000 near Barton le Street.
On the night of 29th / 30th October 1940 the crew of this 50 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing Berlin with the target believed to have been the Danzigerstrasse Gasworks. The squadron was based at Lindholme. Icing effects on the aircraft inbound to the target posed the crew problems and they eventually saw them turn back before reaching Berlin, dropping bombs onto flak positions in the Brandenberg area. On the return flight the aircraft's engines were suffering from the effects of icing on the carburettors and were intermittantly cutting cut. The crew crossed the English coast too far north and were over North Yorkshire when, at 04.00hrs, each one of the engines completely stopped alternatively. Height could not be maintained on one engine so the crew baled out over the village of Salton near Malton and the aircraft crashed between Barton le Street and Salton soon afterwards. The four airmen survived their landings.
Pilot - P/O Colin James Ray Walker RAF (41759).
Second Pilot - Sgt Kenyon Stafford Gowland RAF (742817).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Owen Cole RAFVR (755025).
Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth Emm RAFVR (905343).
I have been told that a dig took place at the crash site near Barton le Street in the mid-1980's with a number of items including a propeller blade being recovered. As no MoD licence was granted I presume that this took place before the law came into being in 1986. An aircraft propeller blade resided outside a house in Slingsby until 2007 and I understand that this was the recovered blade from the Hampden. If anyone who was involved in this dig reads this webpage I would like to hear from you please to full document the recovery.
Only six days after this incident the four airmen were back in action in another aircraft. Sadly Hampden X2907 crashed near Ootmarsum in Holland and all four sadly lost their
lives. They are buried at Ootmarsum Cemetery in Holland. A memorial has since been erected on the crash site. The photograph shown above shows this memorial and was found on an
internet forum.
Colin Walker received a commission on 4th March 1939 to the rank of Acting P/O on probation, he was graded as P/O on probation on 6th November 1939 and to P/O on 28th December 1939.
Hampden X3000 was built to contract B994449/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection in early September 1940. It was allotted to 12 MU on 22nd September 1940 and was received by them on 5th October 1940. The aircraft was taken on charge by 50 Squadron at Lindholme on 11th October 1940. Following the accident on 30th October 1940 it was written off with Cat.W/Burnt damage being recorded.