Wellington X3399 at East Moor airfield.
At 19.20hrs on 4th January 1943 this 429 Squadron Wellington was being taxied at East Moor airfield prior to taking off for a night-time training exercise when the aircraft left the perimeter track just before the start of the runway. The aircraft collided with an unlit floodlight and received slight damage.
Pilot - Sgt Samuel Hanan RCAF (R/101482), of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Navigator - Sgt Malcolm Penvil Brown RAF (778810), of Livingston, Rhodesia.
Crew.... possibly...
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Frederick Hugh Purchase RCAF (R/105100), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Edwin Giles Litchfield RAFVR (776126).
Air Gunner - Sgt Frank Sydney Lane RCAF (R/81411), of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
The original of this photograph is to be found on Hermann Hinsenveld's website's detailing
Wargraves in The Netherlands. Thanks to him for allowing its use here.
Samuel Hanan was born on 29th April 1922 in Los Angeles, California, USA and was the son of Nahman Moreno and Marie (Shelby) Hanan. Both his parents were born in Turkey but emigrated to the USA. After finishing school he worked as a salesman for five years but returned to college in 1940 to study journalism. He enlisted for RCAF service in Vancouver on 17th May 1941. After training in Canada he was awarded his Pilot's Wings on 16th January 1942. On arrival in the UK a few weeks later he trained at 11 (P)AFU. On 3rd May 1942 he was the pilot of Oxford L7688 which collided with Oxford AP394 on the ground at Shawbury slightly damaging both aircraft. He was later posted to 16 OTU on 23rd June 1942 and then to 429 Squadron on 7th December 1942.
He and Sgt Malcolm Brown (and everyone on the aircraft at that time) were killed on 27th April 1943 flying Wellington HE382 which crashed in Holland. The five named
above (and a second pilot) are buried in a collective grave in Bornebroek churchyard, Overrijssel, Holland. A photograph of their graves are shown below.
Wellington X3399 was built to contract B92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd at their Squires Gate, Blackpool factory. It was received by 51 MU on 20th October 1941 and was placed in MU storage, passing between 51 MU, 48 MU, 9 MU and returning to 48 MU all in February 1942. It was taken on charge by 429 Squadron at East Moor on 5th December 1942 a month after the unit formed. It suffered Cat.A/FA damage in a taxying accident at East Moor on 4th January 1943 which saw it repaired on site and returned to 429 Squadron on 30th January 1943. It continued to be used by 429 Squadron carrying out eight operational flights with them. It sustained minor flak damage on the night of 12th / 13th March 1943 and the Cat.Ac/FB damage was repaired on site at East Moor. Once repaired again it returned to 429 Squadron on 22nd May 1943. It next appears being taken on charge by 26 O.T.U. at Wing on 8th June 1943. It sustained minor damage in a flying accident on 26th July 1943 and was repaired on site. Or or around 23rd March 1944 it sustained more serious Cat.B damage in another incident that required a possible repair in works. Once repaired it was flown to 48 MU on 23rd September 1944 and was then taken on charge by 3 A.G.S. at Castle Kennedy in on 12th March 1945 and served with the unit until it disbanded in June 1945. The aircraft was flown to 48 MU on 18th June 1945 and then placed in long term MU storage. It was eventually struck off charge on 31st July 1947.