Date:	Monday 15 April 1940
Time:	04:00
Type:	Handley Page Hampden Mk I
Owner/operator:	49 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L4043
MSN:	EA-G
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ryhope Beach, Ryhope, near Sunderland, County Durham, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Hampden L4065 (EA-G): Lost on combat operations (mine laying sortie) on night of 14-15/04/1940.
Mine laying ops were code named "Gardening", and the target area was off the Frisian Islands, Lower Saxony, Germany. Officially listed as "Hampden L4043 force landed on Ryhope beach, 15 April 1940". According to the Operational Record Book (ORB - Air Ministry Form 540) for 49 Squadron, RAF for this period:

"14/15 April, 1940;
MINELAYING:
Three aircraft were ‘stood up’ for a "gardening" (Mine laying) operation off the Frisian Islands. Take-off was at 19.00 hours at 5 minute intervals. Flying Officer Forsyth and Flight Lt Mitchell were 'on' again, and were joined by Squadron Leader Lowe and his three crew members. Bad weather intervened and prevented the mines being planted. Both Mitchell and Forsyth returned to base safely, but Squadron Leader Lowe (piloting L4043) and crew were experiencing severe difficulties. Squadron Leader Lowe reported the following:

"We did not lay our mines due to bad weather which rapidly deteriorated on the way home. I was having trouble with all my flying instruments but the compass and turn and bank indicators were still working. Eventually we managed to make contact with Hemswell and they gave us a bearing which proved to be inaccurate. Shortly after crossing the coast an aerodrome was sighted flashing a red 'D'. We were unable to get a response so decided to send an 'SOS' on the Aldis lamp... again nothing happened... we then fired a red Very light and this time searchlights came on to the north of us."

Squadron Leader Lowe made for the searchlights with the intention of being 'brought in' by them. One engine then packed up but they managed to maintain height on one. When this engine started to spit and cough the captain offered his crew the option to bale out... none wished to jump. The aircraft was rapidly becoming uncontrollable and the captain decided to force land on the coastline; the pilot continues:

"I instructed the crew to collect in the compartment behind the pilot’s seat. I held off as long as possible but the aircraft swung violently towards the cliffs and rocks below. I managed to correct this slightly, but not enough to clear a line of rocks running out into the sea. When I was holding off and practically stalling, I pulled the nose up and landed on a tail slide with very little speed."

Pilot Officer Anthony Bryan-Smith was attempting to join the other two members of the crew amidships when the aircraft landed. He was only half-way through the rear door and was killed instantaneously. The navigator, Pilot Officer Beauchamp received slight cuts on the hand, the Wireless/Op, AC.1 Appleton bumped his head and was slightly concussed and the pilot escaped with a cut lip.

The Hampden crashed at about 04.00 hours on the beach near Ryhope, County Durham, three miles south of Sunderland.

Crew:-
Pilot : Squadron Leader Geoffrey Lowe DFC AFC MiD RAF 37324 [Injured]
Observer : Pilot Officer Kennet Harry Penrith Beauchamp RAF 40356 [Injured]
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Corporal Appleton RAF [Injured]
Rear Gunner : Pilot Officer Anthony Bryan-Smith RAFVR 76003 (NCO:747720 : Commission Gazetted Tuesday 12 December, 1939) [Killed]

Pilot officer Bryan-Smith was buried at Hylton (Castletown) Cemetery, Sunderland. The remaining three crew were taken to hospitals in Ryhope and Sunderland for treatment.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/143; https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141893
3. http://www.49squadron.co.uk/personnel_index/detail/BryanSmith_A
4. http://www.nelsam.org.uk/NEAR/Biographies/Histories/Appleton548102.htm
5. http://www.bomber-command.info/c49hamloss.htm
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2838441/bryan-smith,-anthony/
7. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/25911-L40431940-04-15.html
8. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1940-1949_28.html
9. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

15 February 1942	AE397	49 Sqn RAF	0	Off Isle of Wight		w/o
Ditching

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Aug-2018 00:46	Dr.John Smith	Added
28-Oct-2018 20:10	Nepa	Updated [Time, Operator, Operator]
08-Jun-2019 19:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
08-Jun-2019 19:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
08-Jun-2019 20:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
08-Jun-2019 21:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
14-Apr-2024 06:29	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative]