Operation: Training

Date: 15th April 1945 (Sunday)

Unit No: 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU)

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: PB565

Code: 6F:?

Base: RAF Sandtoft, Lincolnshire

Location: Owston Ferry, Lincolnshire

Pilot: Plt Off. Howard Percy Speed 188176 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Flt Eng: Flt Sgt. Raymond Ollerton 1523074 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Sidney James Kingdon 1097768 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

2nd Nav: Fg Off. Bertram Arthur Savage 153755 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Edward Boon Carss 165049 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. John William Hamilton 25661 RAAF Age 29. Killed (1)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Edwin Horace John Martin 1813197 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Robert Bertram Roy Cook 1893896 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Above left to right: Fg Off. Edward Boon Carss, Flt Sgt. John William Hamilton, Sgt. Robert Bertram Roy Cook

Update November 2018: A local chap is keen to place some form of memorial to the crew, perhaps in 2020 - he is keen to contact relatives of the crew to keep them updated of his plans. Please contact us in the first instance.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Sandtoft at 14:55 hrs on a Cross County and Bombing training exercise. After about 30 minutes flying PB565 suddenly nosed over and broke up before hitting the ground near Owston Ferry some eight (8) miles SW of Scunthorpe, Lincs at 15:25 hrs.

A Report from Specialist Officers provided the following:

‘Preliminary eye-witness reports suggest that the aircraft completed a gentle spiral after breaking cloud from a height estimated at 31,000 feet while diving steeply towards the ground apparently with all four engines under power.

At a height estimated at 500 to 1000 ft, a noise resembling an explosion was heard by the nearest eye-witnesses and pieces began to fall off. Some observers suggest that the tail unit and wing tips broke off. The aircraft struck the ground about 1½ miles from the furthest wreckage hitting the bank on the side of a dyke at a steep angle and travelling in a south-westerly direction. Preliminary examination of the debris confirm break-up in the air. Parts of the H2S blister fell shortly after the aircraft was heard to break up about 1½ miles from the point at which it hit the ground. Small pieces of metal, believed to be parts of the undercarriage nacelle skirt, and part of an undercarriage door were discovered in the same vicinity. Between this point and at the scene of final impact various small components were found including maps, parts of a first aid kit, a glove and small pieces of aircraft.

About 100 yards from the main wreckage both wing tips were discovered about 80 yards apart. The main part of the wreckage was very badly broken up and burnt. The rear fuselage had broken off and the turret wrenched out apparently shortly before impact, as it was lying about 30 yards beyond the main wreckage and that part of the fuselage was not badly broken up.

Parts of elevator and rudder were identified slightly beyond the main wreckage, one engine was partly, and others engines completely buried.

Various other parts of the aircraft are unidentifiable but add little to the investigation of the cause of the accident. A further technical report will be rendered if any other significant features are discovered’.

(1) John William Hamilton had served one (1) month as a Compulsory National Service Trainee in the 31st Battalion as a Private. He was discharged to join RAAF on the 29th April 1941 as a Stores Hand. LAC. Hamilton re-mustered as Aircrew and was accepted as Wireless operator/Air Gunner trainee on the 10th May 1943.

He completed his training and was awarded his Air Gunner brevet and promoted to Sgt. on the 3rd February 1944. He was promoted to Flt Sgt. on the 3rd August 1944.

He embarked for the UK on the 7th April 1944 arriving there on the 28th April 1944. He was posted to 19 Operational Training Unit (OTU) on the 28th December 1944 where he joined his core of his crew of five (5) on Course No 105 which they completed on the 3rd March 1945 and posted to 71 Base and then onto 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) where the flight Engineer and Mid-Upper Gunner joined the crew.

Above: Flt Sgt. John William Hamilton (Courtesy of Ricki-lee Sylvia Cook)

Burial details:

Plt Off. Howard Percy Speed. Bromsgrove Cemetery, Sec U. Grave 507. Grave inscription: "ONLY SON OF RICHARD AND GERTRUDE SPEED AND TREASURED HUSBAND OF DOROTHY". Born on the 7th December 1921 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Son of Richard Percy and Elsie Gertrude (née Hands) Speed of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Husband of Dorothy (née Smith) Speed of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England.

Flt Sgt. Raymond Ollerton. Bolton (Heaton) Cemetery, Div 2. Sec V.5. C of E. Grave 70. Grave inscription: "UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS". Born in April 1923 in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Son of Joseph and Jane (née Lowe) Ollerton of Great Lever, Bolton, England.

Sgt. Sidney James Kingdon. South Molton Cemetery, Chapel ground. Grave 139. Born in April 1922 in South Molton, Devon. Son of Sidney James and Mary Ellen (née Moore) Kingdon (Former Mayor and Mayoress of South Molton) of South Molton, Devon, England.

Fg Off. Bertram Arthur Savage. Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Sec G, Row J, Grave 5. Grave inscription: "SLEEP ON, BELOVED AND TAKE THY REST WE LOVED THEE WELL BUT JESUS LOVED THEE BEST". Born on the 2nd November 1917 in Lambeth, London. Son of William Herbert and Alice (née Stevens) Savage. Husband of Doreen Elsie (née Fairey) Savage of Welling, Kent, England.

Fg Off. Edward Boon Carss. Blyth (Cowpen) Cemetery, Sec J. Uncons, Grave 37. Born in April 1920 in Tynemouth, Northumberland. Son of George William and Martha Rose (née Boon) Carss of Blyth. Husband of Annie (née Lawson) Carss of Gomersal, Yorkshire, England.

Flt Sgt. John William Hamilton. Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Sec G, Row J, Joint grave 2-3. Grave inscription: "HE GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. LOVINGLY REMEMBERED". Born on the 1st June 1915 in Murrundi, New South Wales. Son of James and Ellen Mary Teresa (née Ahearn) Hamilton of Erskineville, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt. Edwin Horace John Martin. Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Sec G, Row J, Joint grave 2-3. Grave inscription: "SWEET IS THE MEMORY KEPT IN OUR HEARTS. WIFE DOROTHY, BABY JENNIFER, MUM, DAD, ROSE & IRIS". Born on the 24th December 1923 in Blackheath, London. Son of Edward Macdonald and Mabel Grace (née Carter) Martin. Husband of Dorothy May (née Jones) Martin of Cannock, Staffordshire, England.

Sgt. Robert Bertram Roy Cook. Wadhurst (St. Peter and Paul) Churchyard, Row D. Grave 71. Grave inscription: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON AND THE BRAVE CREW WHO DIED WITH HIM". Born on the 26th April 1926 in Laverstock, Wiltshire. Son of Bertram Mark and Edith May (née Noble) Cook of Wadhurst, Wiltshire, England.

Researched for Sharon Garcia relative of Sgt. Robert Cook, also for Jim Carss, son of the Bomb Aimer, Fg Off. Edward Boon Carss and dedicated to all the crew relatives. Details On Sgt. Kingdon added (Feb 2016). Reviewed and updated with new information and with thanks to Ricki-lee Sylvia Cook, great-niece of Flt Sgt. Hamilton for the correction to his photograph (Jun 2026)

Other sources listed below:

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