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.
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/
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