Archive Records

ORB Extracts

Begun in 1997 the purpose of this project is to record details of crashes and forced landings within the county, together with information on any aspect of aviation history that may be otherwise lost or difficult to find. 

The Bedfordshire archive is now fairly extensive and is stored as computer based text files (MS Word) for each area of interest. The NE Scotland archive is less developed but will, hopefully, catch up over the next few years. 

The remit is: 

1. Bedfordshire: Bedfordshire based units, airmen/fliers buried in Bedfordshire, and approximately 10 miles into the neighbouring neighbouring counties of Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire where noted.

2. North-East Scotland: NE based units, airmen/fliers buried in Angus, Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Morayshire, and (former) Nairnshire, including adjacent areas of the North Sea and Moray Firth.

3. Supplementary records for both areas above, of information related to casualties (not all fatal) and aviation matters that have some connection or reference to Bedfordshire or NE Scotland but no physical connection ie. the incident took place outside the these areas, the person or a/c were not based in here when killed or injured, burial was elsewhere ...  etc.

The majority of records cover incidents that took place in the years 1939 to 1945 when aerial activity was at unprecedented levels. However the archive covers all periods, from the early days of flight to the present day.

Information is generally entered exactly as found, including anomalies or spelling mistakes (though these are flagged where noticed). Information from each source is titled and kept separate so that, if necessary, it can be rechecked or added to at a later date. The following key is used:

X for each resulting fatality

(X Unit) ORB : Unit Operations Record Book. Public Records Office, Kew. (daily operational notes)

1180 : Accident Card. RAF Museum Archives, Hendon. (summary of Court of Inquiry) Category/Casualties/Place/Time/Duration and Type of Ops/Pilots Name & Experience/CofI Findings & Notes

BCPASPA : The British, Commonwealth & Polish Air Services Personnel Archive. Geoffrey Negus, 2 Heathcote Avenue, Solihull, West Midlands. B91 1QL.  geoffreynegus@icloud.com (out of county/area places of burial)

and/or ...

CWWG : Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Registers & Web Site information (county/area burial details, for ‘wartime’ deaths only)

Other Sources : as noted (inc. page no. within publication) eg. newspaper summaries/Publication extracts (eg. Bomber Command Losses of the RAF)/ARP Records/Cemetery visits (pre & post war burials + inscription details)/... and info from any other contemporary or substantiated source.

CAM : Own sourced info./notes eg. from meetings, visits to cemetery etc.

After my mother died, I was cleaning out her desk when I discovered the following letter. I previously had no knowledge of its existence, although I was told at the time of its contents.
We then lived in the pub at Box End, "Slaters' Arms" as it is now called. The house next door, which is currently being extended, was then leased to the Police, and used to house a policeman based at Kempston Police Station. At the beginning of the war, Sergeant Tompkins and his wife lived there. They had a son, Douglas, who never actually lived there, as he was already in the navy when his parents moved in. They also had an Alsatian dog named Tonk, who died while at Box End, and he is buried in the garden. I don't suppose the present owners know this! I didn't know Douglas very well, but I saw him when he came home on leave. He was a sub-Iieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm, one of the Navy pilots who flew from aircraft carriers.  I remember his being tall and fair, and he used to ride a motor-cycle [no wonder Geoffrey remembers him well! Ed.]. After only a year or two, Sergeant Tompkins was moved to Biggleswade, from where this letter was written. 

Police Station Biggleswade 18-1-42
"My dear Mrs, Slater, I feel I must write and tell you of our grievous news because you and Mr. Slater came into and took a happy part in Doug's life. He was fond of you both and of Box End. The poor darling has crashed. It happened on Wednesday 14th while night flying, not the fault of Doug's, but the engine cut out. He did all in his power to glide the plane down safely, but the night and the up-hill of the field were against him.
We have been assured he knew nothing, so that is a little help.
Do not grieve too much, Mrs. Slater, he wouldn't like that, he was tough and he liked his friends to be the same.
He is coming home tomorrow (Monday), and we are bringing him down to Box End Church on Wednesday at 3'p.m.  He loved that church, the people and the peace as I did, and I know you will be proud to have him.
Our two darlings will both be in Box End, Tonk and Doug. Please do not fret. 
Yours sincerely, 
Ray Tompkins (Mrs.)”  

 I have recently visited the grave where Douglas was buried. It is over the far side of the cemetery among the other war graves. The gravestones are all clean and white and look new. Terry informed me that they are cleaned annually by the War Graves Commission. It is sad to think of such a young life lost, and that local people will not have known him, as he never actually lived here. He was only 23 when he died.
Geoffrey Slater

Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-1945; p486 : (Fleet Air Arm Fatalities with RAF Units 1939-45) 14.01.42 Tompkins D.G. S/L 1 SFTS Netheravon. Master III W8763 Crashed Shrewton RLG at night, suspected engine trouble.
Halley : 1 FTS  Crashed on overshoot, Shrewton 14.1.42
1FTS ORB : (AIR 29/563) Netheravon 14/1/42 Sub-Lieutenant Tompkins DG killed whilst night flying at Shrewton at 19.40 hours as a result of suspected engine trouble. Netheravon 6/12/41 No. 25 Naval Course completed its flying training. No further intake of Naval pupils will be made from this date. Fl;ying training continues until No.26, 27 and 28 courses are complete.
(6/1/42 No.26 Course dispersed, so it is likely he was on 27 or 28) 
Bedford Modern School Roll of Honour:  Douglas George Tompkins. Sub-Lieutenant (A), R.N.R. DOUGLAS GEORGE TOMPKINS (1934-35), aged 22 years, was killed at Netheravon on the 14th January, 1942, while engaged in practising night landings. On leaving School he went to sea as an apprentice with the Shell Oil Co. Ltd., obtaining his Mate's certificate. On the outbreak of war he joined the R.N.R. and served on The Circasis, a converted liner engaged on blockade control. Later he transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, and, gaining his wings, he piloted a Hurricane.

XXXXXXX
Halifax LW510 (Mk III) of 78 Sqn., crashed at Hulcote, Beds. on Friday 24th March 1944.
Halley : Engine cut; stalled on approach, Cranfield, and crashed, Hulcote, Beds., on return from Berlin; DBF 24.3.44
51 OTU ORB : Cranfield
24/3/44
1501658 F/O Wimberley (Capt)
1334523 F/Sgt Shields (Nav)
Aus412970 F/O Kelly (Bomb)
1324941 Sgt Edge (W/Op)
1523593 Sgt Neal (F/Eng)
641893 Sgt Nelson (R/G)
1800930 F/Sgt Brignall (MU/G)
of 78 Squadron killed in a flying accident near Cranfield.
78 Sqdn ORB : Breighton
24/3/44 Halifax III LW510. Bombing - Berlin. Took off at 18.59 hrs to attack Berlin. A fix was received at 22.45 hrs third class (?). Also message from base “Returning to base, one engine u/s”. Another fix at 22.55 when a/c got permission to land at Cranfield. Aircraft crashed one mile ahead of runway, all crew being killed.
1180 : Cat E, all. 7K. Hulcote Moor Farm, nr Cranfield, Bucks (!). 23.17hrs (or 23.27hrs?). War Operations (Pilots 9th Sortie). Pilot WIMBERLEY M A F/O 150168 (K)  334hrs tot. solo, 117 on type. 123hrs tot. night, 72 on type.
Exp. on Halifax’s -    Mk II 49/29. Mk III 68/43. = tot. 117/72
LOC. Approaching to land on 3 engines, came in too low and too slow & stbd. wing stalled.
AOC. A/c stalled on approaching to land. Crashed and caught fire. E of J on making 3 engine landing.
Metal in filter. Examination of a/c controls etc. inconclusive (1022 raised) owing to to the state of the a/c. Stbd. engine feathered.
A/c … (can’t read word) not working (?) on TR set.
Ldg. at airfield not base without … (can’t read word) BFE.  …(can’t read next lines - ref to ‘Darky’). A/c was under shooting and stalled.
BCPASPA : 1800930 Sgt (Air Gnr) Dennis Horace Albert Brignell, RAFVR, 19, of Holborn, London.   412970 Flg Off (Air Bomber) Reginald Stanislaus Kelly, RAAF, 21, of Ermington, NSW.   1334523 Flt Sgt (Nav) William Harold Shields, RAFVR, 21, of Cricklewood, Middlesex.  150168 Flg Off (Plt) Michael Arabin Wimberley, RAFVR, 21, of Rowlands Castle, Hampshire. Above 4 buried at Cambridge City Cemetery.
1523593 Sgt (Flt Engr) Harold James Neal, RAFVR, and 641893 Sgt (Air Gnr) Horatio Robert Nelson, RAF, 22, of Liverpool. Both buried at Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery.  1324941 Sgt (W.Op/Air Gnr) Leslie James Edge, RAFVR, 78Sqn (Halifaxes at Breighton), 21, of Valence. St Mary Churchyard, Westerham, Kent.

RAF Dyce 26/12/44; Flying Control: A single engined aircraft was seen in the circuit with wheels down, waggling its wings. Just before touching down it was identified as a Me.109. It landed on a boggy patch of grass and turned over on its back. Pilot was uninjured. Two Halifaxes were diverted to Dyce and landed safely at 1900 hours.