Date:	Thursday 30 November 1939
Time:	11:57 LT
Type:	Handley Page Hampden Mk I
Owner/operator:	185 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L4203
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Grange Farm, Widmer End, Buckinghamshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland
Destination airport:	RAF Heston, Middlesex
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 30 November 1939 the Hampden I L4203 of 185 Sqn RAF and crew were en-route from Cottesmore to Heston for a training flight. The aircraft encountered bad weather with poor visibility. The pilot lost control and the aircraft crashed at 11:57 hours near Grange Farm, Widmer End, Buckinghamshire, with the tragic loss of all four crew on board.

Crew (all killed):
Pilot Officer John Musgrave (pilot, age 20, Service Number 41197)
Squadron Leader Nigel Hope (observer, age 32, Service Number 32173)
AC.2 Daniel O’ Regan (wireless operator/air gunner, age 18, Service Number 624786)
Sgt Lindsay Thom (wireless operator/air gunner, age 24, Service Number 580682)

Pilot Officer John Musgrave had lived in Chesham Bois since childhood. He was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School where he took up flying.  For two years he represented his school at Bisley and was a member of the OTC. He joined the RAF in September 1938 and took his preliminary training before taking up his full service. Military honours were accorded at Chesham Bois Cemetery. The service was conducted by the Rev (Group Captain) Cox MC. The coffin was borne on a RAF tender accompanied by the RAF Halton fife and pipe band. Following a brief service at the chapel a firing party and two buglers attended the grave, the coffin dressed with the Union Jack and John’s service cap. The RAF Padre gave a committal service followed by a three rifle volley and the ‘Last Post’.

In November 2013, some pieces of wreckage that had been recovered from the crash site (a part crankshaft and propeller-hub assembly) were put up for auction (see link #10)

1. "Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, vol 1: Aircraft and Crew lost during 1939-1940", by W R Chorley. ISBN 0-904597-85-7
2. http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/raf1939/musgrave.html
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widmer_End
5. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939a.htm
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2706338/musgrave,-john/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2706437/hope,-nigel/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2722273/o'regan,-daniel-john/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2456202/thom,-lindsay/
10. https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dominic-winter-book-auctions/catalogue-id-srdom10024/lot-4f22b10c-f87d-448a-86e0-a43b006aacf8
11. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:https://amershammuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/.../CH-BOIS-WWII-96dpi.docx]

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Nov-2017 21:42	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
28-Apr-2018 20:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
01-Nov-2018 18:06	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator]