Hampden AD910 near Huggate.
This 49 Squadron aircraft had taken off from Scampton at 22.45hrs on 12th July 1941 for an operational flight to bomb Bremen, Germany. On the return journey the aircraft flew
off course slightly and running low on fuel the pilot force landed on the top of the Yorkshire Wolds near High Barn Farm, Huggate at 07.45hrs on 13th July 1941.
The crew escaped injury.
Pilot - Sgt Guy Stuart Batchelor RAFVR (748572).
Second Pilot - Sgt Herbert Glyn Williams RAFVR (950911).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Reginald James Calvert RAF (629365).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Robert Betts RAFVR (911815).
Leslie Betts received a commission on 1st December 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(115097). He was promoted to F/O on probation
(war subs) on 1st October 1942. By mid-June 1943 he was in the rank of Acting F/Lt and he was sadly killed on 12th June 1943 while serving with 467
Squadron when Lancaster W4983 failed to return from Ops to Dusseldorf. He was 467 Squadron's Gunnery Leader. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery,
Germany and I thank Mr Graham Sharpe for the photograph of his gravestone.
The 49 Squadron Association website reports that Sgt Bachelor was posted into 49 Squadron in January 1941, he flew nineteen operational flights as Captain
and eight as a second pilot. While in the rank of Warrant Officer he recommended for and was then awarded the AFC, Gazetted on 8th June 1944. He had been granted
a commission before his award came through and received a commission on 24th March 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation, he was then promoted to F/O on 24th
September 1943. He was later awarded the DFC as F/O on 16th February 1945 for service with 128 Squadron.
Herbert Williams received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th January 1942 (115309). On the night of 14th / 15th April 1942 he
was the pilot of Hampden AD931 which was shot down on Ops to Dortmund. He was one of two of the crew were survived and became PoWs. Under the terms of his
commission he was promoted to F/O on probation on 1st October 1942 and F/Lt on 19th January 1944.
Sgt Calvert was posted into 49 Squadron during February 1941 and posted out in August 1941. He later received a commission on 8th September 1942 and
was awarded the DFC with 156 Squadron in December 1943.
Hampden AD910 was built to contract B.67577/40 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection in February 1941. It was allotted to and also received by 12 MU on 7th March 1941. After a period of storage it was taken on charge by 49 Squadron at Scampton on 25th June 1941 as a replacement for earlier Hampdens that were being withdraw from front line service. As a result of the damage sustained at Huggate Cat.E2/FB damage was recorded. It was struck off chare on 1st August 1941.