ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 226080
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| Date: | Thursday 25 April 1940 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 49 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L4092 |
| MSN: | EA-V |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Aircraft missing |
| Location: | North Sea (Target: Frisian Islands) -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire |
Handley Page Hampden Mk.1 L4092 (EA-V) of 49 Sqaudron RAF: Lost (missing) on combat operations on night of 25-26 April 1940. Aircraft was tasked with "gardening" (mine laying) operation off the Frisian Islands, and believed to have crashed into the North Sea with the loss of all four crew. Hampden L4092 officially listed as "failed to return from an operational flight, 25 April 1940". According to the ORB (Air Ministry Form 540) for 49 Squadron for this date:
"25/26 April, 1940; MINELAYING - BALTIC:
This would prove to be the squadron's most costly and saddest night of the war so far; 8 Hampdens fought their way through terrible weather to the now familiar "gardening" areas in Kiel Bay. Only one aircraft dropped "vegetables" (mines) successfully, the remainder failed due to the bad conditions. Returning home the squadron was diverted to Montrose where 4 aircraft landed and a fifth landed at Leuchars. 3 aircraft and crews were missing. The reason why two of the aircraft failed to return will never be known. Hampden L4092 flown by F/O Derrick Rowan-Robinson and crew came down in the North Sea; the body of Sgt Arthur James was the only one recovered, and he is now in Becklingen War Cemetery. His fellow crew members are remembered on the Runnymede memorial"
Sgt James was initially buried in Cuxhaven (Brockeswalde) Grave 6.
Reinterred 24 December 1946.
Crew
Pilot: 39173 Fg Off Derick Paul Woodrow Rowan-Robinson - Runnymede Memorial Panel 7.
(Served as Robinson)
Observer/Bomb Aimer: 40494 Plt Off Courtenay Aubrey Weeks - Runnymede Memorial Panel 10.
Wireless Operator: 580961 Sgt Arthur Francis James - Becklingen War Cemetery Plot 26 Row D Grave 3.
Air Gunner: 543524 LAC Thomson Hogarth - Runnymede Memorial Panel 23
As can be seen from the above, the body of Sergeant A F James was recovered, and buried Becklingen War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany; the other three crew members were never found, and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) Fire AIR 81/176: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141977
3. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/25913-L40921940-04-26.html
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2199172/james,-arthur-francis/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2940648/rowan-robinson,-derrick-paul-woodrow/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1531185/weeks,-courtenay-arthur/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1800299/hogarth,-thomson/
8. http://www.49squadron.co.uk/personnel_index/detail/Robinson_DPWR
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jun-2019 19:45 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 12-Jun-2019 12:51 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 06-Jun-2022 11:13 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
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