ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 302432
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| Date: | Monday 15 December 1941 |
| Time: | 03:27 |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | P5932 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | New Farm, Deerleap Lane, Longdown, Marchwood, Totton, Hampshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Balderton, Newark, Nottinghamshire |
Handley Page Hampdens from No. 408 (Goose) Squadron RCAF took off at 00:32 hours on the 15th December 1941 for two targets on the French coast. The first group of nine aircraft headed for Brest, to attack enemy shipping, but the target was not located and all of these returned to R.A.F. Balderton, seven bringing their full load of bombs back and the other two jettisoning theirs in the Channel. The second group of four aircraft, targeting Cherbourg, was not so lucky - one collided with a stationary aircraft prior to takeoff, and one (Hampden AT133, although the Squadron O.R.B. says AE133) was lost without trace. The fourth Hampden, P5392, came to grief on the return journey, and crashed in England with the loss of all four crew members.
Hampden P5392/EQ-W piloted by 1377136 Sergeant Sterling, R.W. crashed, on the return journey at New Farm, Deerleap Lane, Longdown, Marchwood, Totton, Hampshire at 03.27 hours 15/12/41
Crew of Hampden P5392:
Sergeant Eric William Sterling, RAF VR (Pilot, Service Number 1377136)
Sergeant Cyril Charles Gibson, RAF VR (WOp/Air Gunner, Service Number 1056826, aged 20)
Flight Sergeant Wilfred Royal Williams, RAF VR (Service Number 9825117, aged 20)
Sergeant John Charles Tomlin, RCAF (Service Number R/78052, aged 21)
All four crew were interred at Fawley (All Saints) Churchyard, Fawley, Hampshire. The O.R.B. gives the pilot's initials as 'R.W.' for some reason. The Casualty File at The National Archives gives the location of the crash as 'Totten' which, I presume, should read 'Totton' - and, as there is a place called Longdown nearby.
Hampden P5392/EQ-W was entirely burnt out, only three bodies recovered from the debris and, of these, only two were identified. The identified bodies were: 1377136 Sgt. Sterling, R.W. the pilot, and 1056826 Sgt. Gibson, C.G. 2nd W/Op/AG. The fourth member of the crew has not yet been recovered but, instructions were issued to R.A.F. Station Calshot by Air Ministry to have a communal funeral and grave for the four members of the crew. Following this crash, R.A.F. Station Calshot, being the nearest R.A.F. Station to the scene of the crash, took the matter in hand and made all necessary funeral arrangements.
Please refer to Circumstantial Report concerning this crash forwarded to Air Ministry (P.4 Casualties) and Gloucester, Records on the 19th December 1941 entitled "Hampden P.5392/EQ-W Crash Upon Return From Operations Night 14-15 December, 1941", our reference 408S/35/9/AIR. This incident was the first of its kind in this Squadron, where an aircraft proceeded on night operations equipped with four crew members and later returning, crashing in England, burning out completely with the recovery of only three bodies out of a known quantity of four and, of the three bodies recovered only two identified. The procedure taken concerning this case was discussed with Station Headquarters, Syerston who in turn discussed the matter with No. 5 Group and eventually taken up with Air Ministry.
Next of kin were first advised that the crew were missing, owing to the fact that only three bodies out of four were recovered from the crash and unidentifiable at the time but, we later reported the whole crew as being killed in aircraft crash near Christchurch, Hampshire.
Sources:
1. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1796: 408 Squadron RCAF ORB June 1941-December 1942 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504438
2. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/19526-P53921941-12-15.html
3. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=20674.0
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2691412/eric-william-sterling/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2691401/cyril-charles-gibson/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2691416/wilfred-roy-williams/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2691414/john-charles-tomlin/
8. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2691414
9. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=122095
10. https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/fallen-aviators/rcaf-casualties-second-world-war/tinkess-to-tyson/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/408_Tactical_Helicopter_Squadron#History
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