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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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322 Squadron crest
11.04.1944 322 Squadron Spitfire XIV NH700 Fg Off. van Hamel

Operation: Air Test

Date: 11th April 1944 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 322 Squadron. 85 Group (motto: 'Niet praten maar doen - 'Actions, not words')

Type: Spitfire XIV

Serial: NH700

Code: VL:B

Base: RAF Acklington, Northumberland

Location: Simonside Hills, near Tosson Farm, Rothbury, Northumberland

Pilot: Fg Off. Jacob Willem van Hamel 132085 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Escaped by canoe from occupied Holland with van Daalen Wetters (1) on the 20th June 1941 - picked up by HMS Eglinton off Lowestoft, Suffolk, England on the 25th June 1941.

Van Hamel and Rudi van Daalen Wetters were decorated by the Queen in London with the Bronze Cross for their daring escape.

Taking off at 15:30 hrs on a high altitude test flight.

Witnessed to dive out of cloud and into a hillside near Rothbury, Northumberland. The accident was subject to an enquiry where the cause was found to have been a possible failure in the oxygen system.

The RAF report suggests a thorough investigation of the crash. We may well assume that the conclusion of 'possible failure in the oxygen system' came about by reasoning. At the crash site, there most likely was little to investigate, and certainly not the functioning of the oxygen system. A Spitfire diving into the ground would make sure that that's quite impossible.

jacob van hamel

(1) Rudi van Daalen Wetters also served in the same squadron. Born on the 25th January 1915 in Java, Indonesia. Emigrated to the USA after the war becoming a flight instructor at Williams Air Force Base until 1953. Passed away on the 03rd October 1999.

Burial details:

Full military funeral held at 14:00 hrs on the 15th April 1944.

chevington grave

Fg Off. Jacob Willem Van Hamel. Chevington Cemetery. Section H. Grave 249. Born on the 4th November 1920 at 's-Gravenhage, Netherlands.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the late Rob Philips who was a meticulous researcher into Dutch aviators who were listed as killed or missing during WW 2. We were entrusted to make his work available to be read by others before he passed away in 2010. This has been presented as 'Lost' his archive and can be seen here. More about Rob, the person here.

KTY/RP 11.01.2020

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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