Hampden P1336 24 May 1940 Aircraft Failure before Striking Balloon Cable

[Observer1940]

Hampden P1336 of No.106 Squadron RAF Finningley, Nr Doncaster.
Route: Abingdon to Finningley (per information given by S/Ldr Whitehead 106 Squadron).
Date: 24th May 1940
Crashed at: Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Ground, Stoke
Time of Collision: 23:08hrs
The aircraft was identified by the Balloon Squadron as friendly at 23.45hrs.
Coventry Balloon Squadron No.917
Balloon Cable: Site No.12
Public House mentioned was the Bulls Head Hotel, Binley
Searchlights were in brief operation and switched off

The newspaper piece attached:-
Reports the RAF aircraft being in trouble and with the engines cutting out, was circling and dropping flares in an attempt to land, followed by the impact with the balloon cable and then the crash.

Additional Research
1. The aircraft was displaying navigation lights from the direction of Bagington and the Starboard light of the ‘plane was seen to dip, followed by a Red flare being thrown from the aircraft and also red lights being seen.
Red and Green lights were also seen floating from the ‘plane.

2. A sharp turn was then observed after striking the balloon cable of Site No.12 followed by a loss of height and crash behind houses.

3. Local people claimed the Pilot of the aircraft was a hero, in a last ditch attempt to avoid houses and crash land onto the cricket ground.

This appears to be another case I am researching where a bomber Pilot and Crew, in cloudy weather, at night and with a failing aircraft is making an attempt to land, only to be greeted by obstacles / obstructions beneath the cloud base in his path, at, or near an aerodrome.

Mark Hood

[paulmcmillan]

24/05/1940 Hampden P1336 of 106 Squadron collided with a balloon cable in Coventry while on a cross-country flight.


Pilot P/O James Melville Dundas Irvine 39988 killed
Sgt John Raymond Collingham 564603 killed
AC1 Sydney Ewbank Firth 615843 killed



Newspaper: Coventry Herald
County: West Midlands, England
Type: Article | Words: 980 | Page: 6 | Tags: none



Crew of Three Killed when Bomber Crashes In Midland Town

An R.A.F. bomber, which a few minutes previously had appeared to be in difficulties, crashed in a Midland town shortly after 11 o'clock on Friday
night. The 'plane narrowly missed houses in a thickly populated residential area, and crashed into the middle of a cricket ground. The crew of three were killed, one of them, who had attempted to jump by parachute just before the crash, falling through the roof of the garage of a nearby public house. The Coventry Herald understands that the bomber, while attempting to land through engine trouble, was circling the town looking for a suitable spot—the pilot dropping flares to assist him—struck the cable of a barrage balloon and crashed with terrific suddenness on to the cricket pitch. As the 'plane struck the ground there was an explosion and a huge sheet of flame lit up the surrounding .area, the big ball of red fire lighting up the sky for miles.

Machine Burst into Flames

Many people, some of whom were about to retire for the night, were first attracted by the noise of the engine of the 'plane, which appeared to be cutting out They watched the progress of the machine from their back gardens and saw the pilot encircling the town and dropping flares from about 200 feet. One of the first persons on the scene after the crash was Mr. Charles Burch. I could see that the pilot was in difficulties. said Mr. Burch as he swooped over the house-tops only a couple of hundred feet up. As soon as the 'plane dropped into the cricket ground, I clambered over the fence and ran to see it I could be of any assistance. When I was within 50 yards of it, there was an explosion and I dropped to the ground. It was well I did because immediately afterwards bullets 'started to explode and the whole structure of the machine burst into flames. I could not get any nearer to the blazing bomber and almost immediately I heard the arrival of the fire brigade and ambulance and I went back to the fence to assist the firemen to bring their hoses to the spot.
Pilot A Great Hero

Mr. Burch expressed the opinion that the pilot of the machine made a brave and successful effort to avoid crashing on to the houses. Other eye-witnesses described the pilot of the 'plane as a great hero. An official of a nearby garage said he seemed to have dived like a stone for the cricket pitch on realising that by doing so he could possibly save further loss of life. So intense was the blaze that would-be rescuers could not get near the crashed machine until firemen had tackled it with water and foam apparatus. ...