Sgt W S Bissett DFM – 751016. A small mystery.

Harry Moyles ‘Hampden Files’ has a great deal of reports on various incidents. I have yet to find Sgt Bissett amongst them. Mr Moyle devotes a foolscap page and a half (Chap 5f Loss of control – Stabilized Yaw) which may explain (as intimidated above) Sgt Bissett’s total lack of confidence in the aircraft returning to controlled flight having seen many of his peers perish in what was then undetermined circumstances.

For those with interest in the Chorley extravaganza, Vol 1 1939-40 2nd edition includes prewar losses July 1936-September 1939. 14/15 Sep 1940 does not include Sgt Bissett as it only records aircraft losses with the subsequent human casualties. It is still a comprehensive work of some 371 pages. ISBN 978-1-906537-40-1. ABE books once again did a good deal. RRP £20.00p.

P2082 was lost on 06 November 1940 whilst minelaying in Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. The 61 Sqn crew are all buried in Kiel War Cemetery.

Just to add a little to what Ross posted about Hampden handling characteristics.

A small extract from a piece by ‘Max’ Meyer 144 sqn

I am not saying that is what happened to P2082 but knowledge of it certainly may have coloured the judgement of Sgt Bissett !

Thank you to all who have contributed. It seems to have been an incredibly unfortunate chain of events that led to the death of this unlucky young man.

The little cemetery is within a village between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer that echoes to the happy sounds of the children in the local school

He does rest in peace.

Moggy

Thanks for the info Ross – an unusual chain of events !

Reminds me of the RAF Bomber crew where the captain (pilot) panicked and baled out – one of the crew (istr a washed out pilot ?) took over and flew the aircraft safely back to blighty.
He was decorated and given a pilots course if memory serves – but cannot recall crew names or a/c type etc !

Yes he is mentioned in Vol 9 , but not in my 1992 edition of Vol 1 .

Close enough for government work – substitute angular for regular and overtired for overturned.

My reading is that he toppled gyro instruments during violent movements and failed to interpret pressure instrument readings. The Hampden was notorious for losing rudder authority in certain spin conditions and this could have been reason or crew assumption for control loss.

What ever the cause the Medical Officer acted before the Court of Inquiry to take him off ops flying.

The aircraft assigned to bomb barge concentrations in Calais are described as having encountered heavy searchlight concentrations in bright moonlight conditions with some doing several runs before dropping bomb loads (6 x 250lb and 2 Anti Shipping Bombs). A/A was well and truly woken up by the repeated passes.

Regards
Ross

Am I close with the transcription of the scribbled “Nature of Accident” on the Flying Accident Card? My best take:

Temporarily out of control in target area. Pilot allowed aircraft [alld a/c ?] to exceed the regular limits of his instruments. Pilot overturned [not sure of that word] & taken off operational flying by Medical Officer. Returned to base O.K.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]236007[/ATTACH]
F1180 Copyright RAF Museum

Part of crew for Hampden P2082 of Sgt Webster.

Instruments u/s and lost control at 5000 ft.

Sgt Bissett baled out before pilot regained control. Bombs jettisoned and aircraft limped home navigated by rear gunner Sgt Jones.

Regards
Ross

Do we know who is buried either side, another crewmember perhaps?

Sgt Bissett is recorded in Chorley’s Vol 9 – Roll of Honour. I have ben told that Vol 1 1939 – 1940 has been reissued as Edition 2 (2013) and has doubled in number of pages. Has anyone got a copy handy. The Air Britain ‘Hampden File’ leaves me none the wiser.

Bob

Yes, definitely buried in France. I stumbled across him whilst lunching in a tiny CWGC not far outside Calais on Friday.

(Incidentally can I heartily recommend the CWGC publication of a Northern France map with all the cemeteries marked? I have already found it invaluable, worth every penny of the £7 it costs)

Moggy

Yes Moggy – as you say – just skimming through the losses does not immediately solve the case !

He was mentioned in the RAF Commands forum in 2008 so perhaps Paul M can clarify ?

From The Scottish War Memorials Project

Bissett William S.
Name: BISSETT, WILLIAM SLATER
Initials: W S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Obs.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 61 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 14/09/1940
Service No: 751016
Awards: D F M
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. F. 1.
Cemetery: PIHEN-LES-GUINES WAR CEMETERY

There’s just 1 match on Scotland’s People for a William Slater Bissett born in the right time frame. He was born in Eastwood in 1919.

Scotsman Friday 19th July 1940, page 1
‘AWARDS FOR THREE SCOTSMEN…
DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL
Sergt. William Slater Bissett’

Scotsman Tuesday 8th october 1940, page 6
‘MISSING SCOTSMEN
Also missing is Sergt. W.S. Bissett D.F.M. who gained his decoration in July last for his “skill and coolness” as navigator and bomb-aimer during an attack on the German battleship Scharnhorst, at Keil Harbour. Sergt. Bissett, who is 20, was formerly a Glasgow stockbroker’s clerk.

Scotsman Monday 24th February 1941, page 8
‘R.A.F. CASUALTIES
336 Names in Latest List
SIX D.F.C.s included
Sergeant W.S. Bissett, a D.F.M., and one of the heroes of the bombing of the German battleship Scharnhorst at Keil in July 1940…[is among the] 336 R.A.F. casualties reported in Air Ministry Comunnique No.60 published today…PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, NOW PRESUMED KILLED IN ACTION…SGT. W.S. Bissett’

Starting with the obvious: how do we know he was lost on operations over France; is his grave in France?

Then some options: could the Hampden carry five crew? Doubtful. Could he have jumped from, or fallen from a Hampden that wasn’t lost on 14/09/1940? Could he have been killed in an accident (walked into a propeller) on 14/09/1940? (Not if buried in France obviously.) Could he have been lost at sea some time before but his body washed ashore on 14/09/1940?