Oxford V3395 near Lindholme airfield.
During the evening of 21st March 1941 the crew of this No.11 S.F.T.S. aircraft carried out a night time basic circuits and landing training flight using Lindholme airfield. At 23.15hrs soon after taking off from Lindholme the aircraft initially climbed away to 500 feet from the airfield but it then made a right turn and then height was gradually lost before it flew into the ground near Armthorpe. The aircraft then caught fire and was destroyed. 11 SFTS were using Lindholme airfield as a relief landing ground from 22nd February 1941 until April 1941.
Oxford V3395 was built to contract B.55346/39 by The de Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Hatfield and was awaiting collection in
January 1941. After a period of MU storage it was taken on charge on 14th March 1941 by 11 SFTS at Shawbury. On 21st March 1941 it sustained
this accident near Lindholme and Cat.E2/FA(Burnt) damage was recorded.
Pilot (Instructor) - P/O Ernest Joseph William Sivers RAFVR (88656), aged 24. Buried Shawbury Churchyard, Shropshire.
Pilot (Trainee) - LAC Basil Anthony Fleming RAFVR (1001944), aged 28, of Halifax, Yorkshire. Buried Hatfield Woodhouse Cemetery, South Yorkshire.
LAC Fleming's grave in Hatfield Woodhouse Cemetery.
Ernest Sivers was born in Lewisham. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 13th December 1940 (with seniority of 4th December 1940).
