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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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coastal command crest

Operation: Training

Date: 20th April 1941 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 2 Operational Training Unit. Coastal Command. 17 Group

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: V5796

Code: -

Base: RAF Catfoss, Yorkshire

Location: North Sea

Pilot: Sgt. James Hanley Hamill NZ/40646 Age 24. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Leo Stanley Liddiard 921731 RAFVR Age 26 Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Basil Frederic Clare 755668 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Catfoss on a navigation exercise.

Understood to have crashed into the sea at 11:35 hrs about 50 miles east of Flamborough Head in poor weather conditions, other aircraft in the area reported clouds down to sea level. Despite an extensive search only the body of the pilot was recovered.

Burial details:

Sgt. James Hanley Hamill. Great Bircham Churchyard (St. Mary) Plot 1. Row 2. Grave 17. Born on the 26th October 1916 at Masterton. Worked as a salesman for P. Hamill and Company - his fathers business, prior to service.Obtained his pilots licence on the on the 06th February 1939 with Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club. Enlisted 13th February 1940 at Levin. Awarded pilots wings on the 09th August 1940 and promoted to sergeant on the 21st September 1940. Son of Patrick and Kate Hamill (née Hanby), of Masterton, Wellington. New Zealand. 152 Solo flying hours logged.

Sgt. Leo Stanley Liddiard. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 47. Born on the 16th June 1914 at Farington. Son of George Stanley Liddiard and Cornelia Florence Liddiard of Farington, Berkshire, England.

Sgt. Basil Frederic Clare. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 41. Son of Ernest Albert and Alice Gertrude Clare, of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 22-02-2021

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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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