Originally Posted by
Timelord
Yes. I believe there was a deliberate policy to conceal the fact that one of the dead was in fact the co pilot. Contemporary reports describe him as a navigator which led to even more I’ll feeling amongst his friends and family.
Timelord, you're absolutely right. One of many controversies surrounding the crash; reportedly, the 'third' pilot, A/Sqn Ldr James George Woodgate Stroud, was even described as a navigator on his death certificate, and this supposed obfuscation was the cause of much speculation and bitterness from family and colleagues about why his status as a fully-qualified Vulcan pilot (he held a Master Green rating, which Air Mshl Sir Harry Broadhurst, occupying one of the front seats, did not) was seemingly hushed-up.
Sir Harry, for his part, insisted that he'd been ordered to land at Heathrow by the Air Ministry, presumably for publicity reasons following the round-the-world tour, despite the poor weather and the fact his preference was to have landed at Boscombe Down. However, a former RAF air signaller, Maurice Hamblin, came forward some years later claiming he had been ordered to contact the aircraft to abort the landing due to the weather, but the order had been ignored by Sir Harry; and he'd then been sworn to secrecy under auspices of the Official Secrets Act. And then, of course, there's the whole issue of the lack of ejection seats in the back of all 3 types of V-Bomber; both front seaters (Sir Harry, and Sqn Ldr 'Podge' Howard) successfully ejected but the four (yes, four!) in the back - James Stroud, Nav Plotter Sqn Ldr Edward Eames, AEOp/Signaller Sqn Ldr Alfred Gamble, and Avro rep Fred Bassett (squeezed in the sixth crew space), of course, were unable to escape at such low level and all perished.
Of note, and to link into JN's book further, apparently the call to leave was made by 'Podge' Howard - rather than "Eject! Eject!", he shouted 'Get Out! Get Out!'
Old news - RIP to all those now long gone.