Beaufighter JL441 near Bewholme, Catfoss.
On 8th January 1943 the crew of this No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft were undertaking a training flight when the pilot lost control in a severe snow storm. The aircraft crashed near Bewholme and the crew two airmen in the aircraft died. It is possible that the aircraft's engines had cut out after they had run out of fuel, possibly due to the crew forgetting to change the fuel tank supply to tanks with fuel in them.
Beaufighter JL441 was built to contract B.85570/40 by The Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. at Old Mixon and was awaiting collection in October 1942. It was taken on charge by 2 (C)OTU at Catfoss shortly after. As a result of the accident on 8th January 1943 the aircraft was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded.
Pilot - F/O Reginald Lionel Reddy Hepburn RCAF (J/10647), aged 29, of Brighton, Ontario, Canada. Now buried Crystal Lake Cemetery, Stanstead, Quebec, Canada.
Navigator - P/O Peter Newman Dix RAFVR (127985), aged 23, of Llandudno, Caernarvonshire. Buried Bovingdon Churchyard, Hertfordshire.
Reginald Hepburn (Jnr) was born on 27th January 1943 to Reginald and Eileen Hepburn of Brighton, Ontario. He was initially buried in Brandesburton Churchyard but in September 1943 his uncle Lt.Col. (Canon) Channell Galbraith Hepburn MC, a Canadian Forces Chaplain, requested that his nephew's body be exhumed and his remains returned to his mother in Canada. By the time the authorities replied to this request stating that this was prohibited Lt.Col. Hepburn had already succeeded in exhuming the body with a Home Office license, cremating the remains and returning home to Canada with the ashes. The ashes were buried in Ontario in November 1943. Reginald's younger brother F/Lt Donald Stuart Reddy Hepburn RCAF (J/5676) died on 17th April 1942 while serving with 97 Squadron and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
Canon Hepburn had served in WW1 and won the Military Cross for his actions on The Somme. He re-enlisted in 1940 and later in WW2 he was later promoted to Brigadier and became the principal Protestant chaplain of the Canadian Army. He retired from his Army role in October 1945. In civilian life he rose to become Venerable Archdeacon of Ottawa and died in 1971.
