Hi to everybody,I have just joined and am very impressed with the wealth of knowledge demonstrated by members and was hoping someone would be able to help me or point me in the right direction.Assisting an Uncle whilst researching family history has made me very interested in Bomber Command and Fighter Command but our search into a family member has driven us to a dead end;his name was Robert Leagas and he was an air gunner with 16 OTU at Upper Heyford during 1941.He and 3 others were killed when their Hampden was intercepted by oblt Paul Semrau of 2 NJG/I flying a JU88 on 20.09.41 while on a night training excercise.The plane reportedly crashed 4 miles NE of Croughton killing all aboard.Three are at Upper Heyford cemetery and the other in Wembley.I have gathered this information with the fantastic help of staff at RAF Hendon using the Bomber Command statistics volumes and The Hampden File.I would like to gather more details about the crash specifically the exact crash site or whether any members here have any more details or have had contact with any debris in the past.Thanking you all in anticipation and once again a fantastic site!
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th April 2008 at 09:52
Paul,
This aircraft was shot down while on approach to Croughton (satellite) airfield. It crashed near Tusmore Park, not within the park. If you send me a PM, I will give you the Grid Reference.
Doug.
Hi Doug,many thanks also I have PM’d you
Regards Paul
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th April 2008 at 09:46
Hi Paul,
Sent you a private e-mail did you get it?
Regards
Melvin
Hi Melvin,many thanks I have replied
Regards Paul
By: avro683 - 8th April 2008 at 00:27
Paul,
This aircraft was shot down while on approach to Croughton (satellite) airfield. It crashed near Tusmore Park, not within the park. If you send me a PM, I will give you the Grid Reference.
Doug.
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th April 2008 at 23:34
Hi Paul,
Sent you a private e-mail did you get it?
Regards
Melvin
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th April 2008 at 19:35
Thanks Simon I did actually get two card copies from Hendon but they were very basic with location being 4miles NE of Upper Heyford and the pilot only being named.This was form AM1180
By: simfrank - 7th April 2008 at 19:20
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum! 🙂
I don’t know whether you have tried but Hendon keep copies of the aircraft accident report cards, if your Hampden is amongst them you might get an exact location from that, can’t recall if there is a small fee but might be worth a shot.
Hope that is of some use?
regards
Simon
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th April 2008 at 17:18
Thanks for the prompt reply Dave,could I ask where you referenced the information from ie:what is ABS and Chorley and the Tusmore Park reference?Sorry for the naieve questions but this is a new interest for me and I am a novice
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th April 2008 at 16:44
Hello Paul
I have this incident at Tusmore Park, 1 mile south of Croughton. The Hampden File puts it 4m NE of Upper Heyford, as does ABS, which is spot on; however I note that Chorley has 4m NE of Croughton. The crew’s deaths are registered at Ploughley, Oxon, if the a/c had crashed N of Croughton they would have been registered at Brackley where the admin area includes Croughton but excludes Cottisford, the nearest village to Tusmore Park.
To confirm it you could apply for the death certificate for one of the crew members, you may be lucky and get the exact location.
regards
DaveW
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April 7, 2008 at 2:53 pm