Please can anyone help with information regarding an event that occurred on the 21st December 1939 when a Hampden bomber returning to RAF Acklington crashed into the Chapel at North Broomhill, Northumberland, on the edge of the aerodrome. The bomber was from 49 Squadron and was short of fuel and having problems. As a result, the pilot was seriously injured and sadly two members of the crew were killed. Some local men ran to the burning wreckage and rescued the pilot. It is believed that one of these men received an award possibly the George Medal. It is the details of these men, particularly the award recipient that I am trying to find out. At the time of the incident, a children's Christmas party was being held in the school nearby. My mother-in-law was one of the children. For many years she kept a newspaper clipping about the crash but she can no longer find it. She cannot recall which paper it was reported in. Does anyone have access to newspaper archives? Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks Dee

On 17/01/2010 17:28, Dee Dunn wrote: > Please can anyone help with information regarding an event that occurred on > the 21st December 1939 when a Hampden bomber returning to RAF Acklington > crashed into the Chapel at North Broomhill, Northumberland, on the edge of > the aerodrome. The bomber was from 49 Squadron and was short of fuel and > having problems. As a result, the pilot was seriously injured and sadly two > members of the crew were killed. Dee That must be the sanitized "official" version of the story. In truth is that this was an early case of "friendly fire" or "blue on blue" as the military prefer. As I report at http://www.ne-diary.bpears.org.uk/Inc/ISeq_02.html#D110 "A British Hampden bomber, shot down in error by Spitfires of 602 Squadron, crashed on to the Church of Christ, Togston Terrace, Amble. The church was demolished. One person was killed and one was injured. Of the bomber's crew, one was uninjured, one was seriously injured and two were killed." This was dreadful incident in which Spitfires based at Drem engaged Hampden bombers of based at Scampton and Waddington as they returned from a difficult mission to find and attack the pocket battleship "Deutschland" which had been reported off Norway. As the bombers of 44, 49 and 83 Squadrons returned from their mission, short of fuel and in bad visibility, they decided to make for Acklington instead of their home bases, but they were misidentified by radar operators who scrambled the Spitfires from 49 and 602 Squadrons and Hurricanes from 43 Squadron. The Hampdens from 49 Squadron were intercepted by the Hurricanes but were correctly identified and escorted to a safe landing at Acklington. The remainder of the Hampdens were engaged by three of the Spitfires before they were identified as British. Two of the bombers were shot down into the sea, though all but one of the crews survived and were rescued by fishermen. A third Hampden, damaged and out of fuel, tried to reach Acklington, but struck Christ Church and burst into flames. A fourth Hampden, not involved in the friendly fire, made a forced landing in a field near Belford. Brian -- Brian Pears (Gateshead, UK) http://www.bpears.org.uk/ Joint List Admin NORTHUMBRIA Genealogy Mailing List GENUKI Northumberland Maintainer

On 17/01/2010 21:15, Brian Pears wrote: > Spitfires from 49 and 602 Squadrons Sorry, that should read "Spitfires from 72 and 602 Squadrons". Brian -- Brian Pears (Gateshead, UK) http://www.bpears.org.uk/ Joint List Admin NORTHUMBRIA Genealogy Mailing List GENUKI Northumberland Maintainer