Hampden AD722 at Finningley airfield.
On the night of 11th / 12th February 1941 this 83 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Breman and took off from Scampton at 20.10hrs. Because of poor visibility over Lincolnshire on the return flight this aircraft was diverted to land at Lindholme airfield. In thick fog it was thought that the pilot had seen the lit flarepath of Finningley airfield and was circling Finningley when it struck the married quarters building at 01.22hrs. Three of the four crew were sadly killed and one other person on the ground is also believed to have sustained injuries although their name is not yet known.
Hampden AD722 was built to Contract No. B67577/40 by English Electric Co.Ltd, at Samlesbury and was allotted to 24 MU on 29th November 1940. It was received by 24 MU on 8th December 1940 and was taken on charge soon after by 83 Squadron at Scampton on 20th December 1940. As a result of the crash on 12th February 1941 the damage was assessed as being Cat.E2/FB(Burnt) damage and it was written off. It was struck off charge on 19th February 1941.
Pilot - F/Lt Desmond Wallace Ferguson Barker RAFO DFC (70043), aged 27, of Gisbourne, Auckland, New Zealand. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Second Pilot - Sgt William Harry Lowson RAFVR (754883), aged 20, of Welton. Buried Welton Church Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Targett RAFVR (755193). Injured.
Air Gunner - F/O Frank Selby Wilson RAFVR (76021), aged 34, of Stockwell, London. Buried Finningley Churchyard Extension, Yorkshire.
Person on ground - Name unknown, suggested as being injured. Info needed.
Desmond Barker was born in February 1914 and had trained as a barrister but appears to have joined the RAF Reserve as P/O on Probation in March 1934 and was promoted to F/O later in the year. He was called up in 1939. On 16th October 1940 he was flying an 83 Squadron Hampden which was hit by flak over the target of Dortmund, the port engine sustained damage and near the Dutch coast the propeller on the damaged engine fell off causing Barker to loose control. He managed to regain control again but ten miles of the English coast the other engine failed. He ditched the Hampden just off shore at Southwold, Suffolk and the crew escaped injury. On 18th August 1940 he was also the pilot of Hampden L4106 which crashed at Scampton. Acting F/Lt Barker's DFC was Gazetted on 24th December 1940 but no citation has been found. His brother P/O Richard Percival William Barker RNZAF died on 22nd December 1941 and is buried in Grantham Cemetery, Lincolnshire.
Frank Wilson was born in Camberwell, London in 1907. He was granted a commission in the RAFVR as P/O on probation on 27th November 1939 from the rank of LAC, he was promoted to F/O on 27th November 1940. He had already gained his Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate (Cert.No.17115) on 14th February 1939 at Tollerton Aero Club.
Sgt Targett was later awarded the DFM for service with 83 Squadron, Gazetted 18th April 1941 "for gallantry and devotion to duty displayed in the execution of air operations". Nothing after this date is known about him.