ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213658
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| Date: | Tuesday 8 October 1940 |
| Time: | 12:30 LT |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 16 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | P1271 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Highnam, 3 miles NW of Gloucester, Gloucestershire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire |
| RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire |
On 8th October 1940 Handley Page Hampden Mk. I P1271 of 16 Operational Training Unit, based at RAF Upper Heyford, crashed at Highnam, three miles north west of Gloucester, Gloucestershire (at approximate co ordinates 51.874°N 02.298°W) with the loss of the entire crew of four. The aircraft was taking part in an instrument flying exercise when it appeared out of cloud in a dive and broke up in flight, crashing at 12.30 hours. The details of the crew are as follows:
Pilot Officer Albert Frederick JEFFERYS, RAF No. 81649. Age 22 and the son of Alfred and Annie Maria Jefferys of Bath, Somerset. He is buried in Plot B Grave 10179, Gloucester Old Cemetery
Sergeant (Pilot) Joseph Desmond SHEILS. RAFVR No. 741808. Age 27 and the husband of Kathleen Dorothy Sheils of Mill Hill. He is buried in the churchyard of St Paul’s Church, Mill Hill
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Richard Thomas BOWTELL, RAAF No. 805458. Age 22 and the son of Horace and Dorothy Bowtell of Kingstanding, Birmingham. He is buried in Plot B, Grave 9950 Gloucester Old Cemetery
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Ralph Alexander Walter KEELING RAF no. 638360. Age 29 and the son of Charles Walter and Shirley Keeling of Camper, Manitoba, Canada. He is buried in Plot B, Grave 9765 Gloucester Old Cemetery
The plane passed low over Highnam school before it crashed and the teacher let the children go to the crash site. Extract from Highnam School records:
"Having first refused, Miss Jones (the head teacher) relented and granted permission for the children to go and see the wreckage. Although Miss Jones had told the children to keep with her, the older and bolder ones ran on so the party stretched out between the school and their destination. When the first children arrived at the scene it seems, bullets were exploding, and the remains of the four airmen who were killed were scattered about the burning wreckage. Some of the children suffered fear and distress. Miss Jones was called to account and the school managers informed her of their 'very strong disapproval'".
Sources:
1. https://www.glevumdetecting.co.uk/history/crash2.htm
2. http://www.theygavetheirtoday.com/raf-upper-heyford.html
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2451279/jefferys,-albert-frederick/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2735471/sheils,-joseph-desmond/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2451243/bowtell,-richard-thomas/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2451283/keeling,-ralph-alexander-walter/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highnam
8. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?36272-Hampden-info-needed
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Jul-2018 22:49 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 27-Nov-2018 20:07 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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