Hoveringham (1) Lancaster Memorial

Date: 12th January 1945 (Friday)

Unit: No. 5. L.F.S. (Lancaster Finishing School). 5 Group

Base: RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire

Location: Hoveringham, Nottinghamshire

Pilot: P/O. Guy Rerenui Dunlop NZ/425241 RNZAF Age 28. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Patrick Joseph Vincent Browne 1897240 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Peter John Hill NZ/425790 RNZAF Age 22. Killed (1)

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Albert John Evans BEM. 1422223 RAFVR Age 26. Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Richard Ludgvan Staples NZ/4212868 RNZAF Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Richard Henry Sedgley 1852400 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Fordyce Cairns 1822619 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Took off at 18:45 hrs for training night flight. On return encountered failing visibility as the cloud base being down to 5-600 ft with a persistent drizzle. Flew beyond the airfield and while banking flew into the ground at 21:50 hrs half a mile north of the Tree Hotel at Hoveringham.

(1) Fl/Sgt. Peter Hill's brother, P/O. Howard Perry Hill, was a Battle of Britain pilot who also lost his life - killed during September 1940. Further details here .

(2) Sgt. Albert John Evans BEM citation in L.G: (He was serving as a police constable in the Glamorgan Constabulary)

'Bombs damaged houses and people were trapped in the wreckage. Constable Evans, with complete disregard of his personal safety, immediately began rescue work. After some time a woman was discovered alive but pinned down by debris which was on fire. Under the direction of Evans a tunnel was made and, after two hours work, during which time, a bomb exploded within fifteen yards of the rescuers, the victim was released. The Constable continued his efforts and six hours later a child was rescued. Evans worked with dauntless courage and the success of the work was largely due to his untiring efforts'.

Above left to right: P/O. Guy Dunlop, Fl/Sgt. Peter Hill and Fl/Sgt. Richard Staples .

Above: 30th May 2010. The memorial at Hoveringham placed to this and another crew lost at a later date, that of W/O II Richard Barlow Rathbone R/168095 RCAF from the same LFS - lost on the 28th January 1945 on Lancaster III LM308 .

Burial and Personal Details:

P/O. Guy Rerenui Dunlop . Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. Plot H/1. Grave 204. Born on the 26th August 1922 at Picton. Worked as a clerk for Dalgety and Company in Auckland. Enlisted Enlisted on the 30th May 1942 at Walpapaun. Initial training with No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School on the 03rd January 1943. Pilot training terminated on the 29th January 1943. Remustered as air observer. (training interrupted by illness) Embarked for Canada on the 16th August 1943. navigator badge awarded on the 25th February 1944 and promoted to sergeant.

Embarked for England on the 25th March 1944. Joined 8 Observer Advanced Flying Unit 09th May 1944. After further training with 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit joined 5 Lancaster Finishing School on the 03rd December 1944. Son of Jack Stanley Hill and of Dorothy Helen Hill (née White) of Spring Creek, Marlborough, New Zealand. A total of 273 flying hours logged.

Fl/Sgt. Peter John Hill . Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. Plot H/1. Grave 203. Born on the 26th August 1922 at Picton. Worked as a clerk for Dalgety and Company in Auckland. Enlisted Enlisted on the 30th May 1942 at Walpapaun. Initial training with No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School on the 03rd January 1943. Pilot training terminated on the 29th January 1943. Remustered as air observer. (training interrupted by illness) Embarked for Canada on the 16th August 1943. navigator badge awarded on the 25th February 1944 and promoted to sergeant.

Embarked for England on the 25th March 1944. Joined 8 Observer Advanced Flying Unit 09th May 1944. After further training with 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit joined 5 Lancaster Finishing School on the 03rd December 1944. Son of Jack Stanley Hill and of Dorothy Helen Hill (née White) of Spring Creek, Marlborough, New Zealand. A total of 273 flying hours logged.

Sgt. Albert John Evans B.E.M..Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. Plot H/1. Grave 205. Son of Abraham and May Evans, husband of Emma Mary Evans, of Treorchy, Glamorgan, Wales. Grave inscription: ' To A Beautiful Life Came A Sudden End, One Of The Best Whom God Could Lend'.

Fl/Sgt. Richard Ludgvan Staples . Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. Plot H/1. Grave 202.

Local remembrance and memorial support

Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep

Detailed historical account of both Hoveringham Lancaster crashes. JB125, piloted by P/O Guy Dunlop of the RNZAF, crashed at approximately 21:50 on 12 January 1945 after completing a three-hour training flight. In poor visibility with persistent drizzle and cloud base no higher than 6,000 feet, the Lancaster banked over a field and flew into the ground three-quarters of a mile north of the Elm Tree Hotel, Hoveringham. All seven crew, with an average age of 23, were killed.

Crash at 21:50 on 12 January 1945Crew of three New Zealanders and four British airmenAverage age of crew was 23Crashed three-quarters of a mile from Elm Tree Hotel

IWM registers twin memorial stones at Hoveringham commemorating the crews of both Lancaster JB125 and LM308. The left stone bears the inscription for JB125 crew lost on 12 January 1945.

IWM memorial reference 61799Twin memorial stones for both Lancaster crashes

The local parish council documents the Hoveringham Lancaster Bomber Memorial, noting that wreckage was rediscovered in 2009 and the memorial stones were dedicated on 30 May 2010 adjacent to the River Trent at Hoveringham Hall.

Wreckage rediscovered 2009Memorials dedicated 30 May 2010Located adjacent to River Trent at Hoveringham Hall

Discussion thread on the RAF Commands forum providing additional research details about the two Lancaster crashes at Hoveringham, including witness accounts and surviving crew family contacts.

Community research and family contacts documented