Valiant XD869 - Crash at Marham in 1959
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Valiant XD869 - Crash at Marham in 1959
Relatives of Flt Lt Howard (Nav/Radio Op), who was killed in 214 Sqn Valiant XD 869 near Marham on 11 Sep 1959, are seeking any information on, or memories of, the accident. They have a copy of the BoI (after many years of a lot of hassle) but would be very appreciative of anything else anyone can remember. It's a long time ago and a bit of a long shot but I said I'd ask the PPruners!
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All I could find was information on the 214 Sqn website which says:_
Flt/Lt Donald Howard AFM
Flt/Lt Donald Howard AFM, Navigator / Radio Operator, 2238475, Royal Air Force , Nationality : United Kingdom. KIA 11 September 1959 Age 31.
SEE CREWS AND LOSSES for Valiant B Mark I XD869 .
Date of Birth 11 May 1928 in Finsbury Park, London.
Stationed at RAF Marham.
He is buried in Marham Cemetery, Norfolk. RAF Grave 9.
Named on the following Memorials :
Armed Forces Memorial
Rolls of Honour, Church of St Clement Danes, London
Source : Jock Whitehouse and Armed Forces Memorial
This is probably already known to this officer's relatives
Flt/Lt Donald Howard AFM
Flt/Lt Donald Howard AFM, Navigator / Radio Operator, 2238475, Royal Air Force , Nationality : United Kingdom. KIA 11 September 1959 Age 31.
SEE CREWS AND LOSSES for Valiant B Mark I XD869 .
Date of Birth 11 May 1928 in Finsbury Park, London.
Stationed at RAF Marham.
He is buried in Marham Cemetery, Norfolk. RAF Grave 9.
Named on the following Memorials :
Armed Forces Memorial
Rolls of Honour, Church of St Clement Danes, London
Source : Jock Whitehouse and Armed Forces Memorial
This is probably already known to this officer's relatives
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XD869 Crash at Marham
I was serving on 214 Sqdn when this event occurred. I was a 22-year-old, Cpl. Air Radar technician at the time. I had joined the Sqdn. in February 1959.
The Sqdn was engaged in an ‘Exercise Sunspot’ for 6 weeks. Most of the A/C and personnel, including myself, were in Malta at RAF Luqa.
XD869 was scheduled to carry out a 'Lone Ranger' flight from RAF Marham to RAF Eastleigh (Nairobi). This would necessitate in-flight refuelling from the tanker A/C operating from Luqa.
I was assigned to the night shift that was to pre-flight, see off and then see in and after flight the two tankers operating from Luqa. I cannot recollect the time that the shift was scheduled to start, but it was brought foreword and we were summoned from our accommodation about an hour early. We were told that this was because the weather at Marham was deteriorating and the schedule had been advanced to beat the weather.
I was the only Radar Fitter on the shift so I had to do both pre-flights. I had completed the inspection and signed the F700 of one A/C and while I was carrying out the 2nd pre-flight, one Cpl Greaves, an Armourer, came to the A/C to tell us that flying was scrubbed, ‘because of the weather at Marham’.
The shift then closed up the A/C and put the bung’s in the engines etc. and we went to an unexpected early night in bed. I believe that this was about 02:00 local time.
The following morning we were awakened by a very noisy day shift. This was most unusual as day workers normally respected the night workers rest period. They had heard on the radio that a Valiant had crashed at Marham.
We immediately assumed that this was why ‘our’ flight had been cancelled, awaiting an investigation.
The next we knew was when the morning newspapers arrived by civilian airline. The casualties were named in one paper; this told us that it was a 214 Sqdn. crew. The Crew Chief named was Chief Tech Bob Sewell. Bob was the Crew Chief of XD858, so we assumed that it was this A/C that had crashed.
About mid day, we had a Valiant fly in from Marham and we were assembled for a briefing where we learnt that the A/C involved was XD869.
All of the above are my recollections of the night, what follows is what I gleaned later, so I suppose it is hearsay, but it is 1st hand hearsay from other Sqdn. members.
As was normal for ‘Lone Ranger’ flights, two A/C were prepared and two air crews readied. Because of the schedule being advance very close to ETD. The spare aircrew did the A/C ‘walk around’ while the prime crew attended their briefing.
On ‘Lone Ranger’ flights, where the Crew Chief was flying in the A/C, another Crew Chief was assigned to do the actual seeing off. In this case Bob Sewell was the ‘other’ Crew Chief. The Crew Chief of XD869, whose name escapes me, was suffering from a heavy cold or ‘flu, so asked Bob to take his place on the ‘Lone Ranger’. Bob went home to his family in Married Quarters to pack a bag and promised to bring home some pineapples for his kids. The ‘Lone Rangers’ to Eastleigh were known as ‘the pineapple run’.
I know that the person that did the Radar pre-flight was one Cpl Mick Dunn, as he later told me how worried he was about having done a pre-flight on an A/C that crashed. Mick later became a navigator and was commissioned. He came from Leeds.
The Officer Commanding 214 Sqdn at the time was Wg. Cdr. Mike Beetham DFC, he later became Chief of the Air Staff, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB, CBE, DFC, AFC, DL, FRAaes. He is still alive, albeit now in his 80’s.
I still exchange Xmas cards with my then boss Sgt Brian King, as I recollect, he was not a member of the Luqa detachment and as a Sgt. would not have been on the night shift at Marham. If desired I can write to him to see if he has any information. He does not have e-mail.
If you have any other questions I will try to help.
The Sqdn was engaged in an ‘Exercise Sunspot’ for 6 weeks. Most of the A/C and personnel, including myself, were in Malta at RAF Luqa.
XD869 was scheduled to carry out a 'Lone Ranger' flight from RAF Marham to RAF Eastleigh (Nairobi). This would necessitate in-flight refuelling from the tanker A/C operating from Luqa.
I was assigned to the night shift that was to pre-flight, see off and then see in and after flight the two tankers operating from Luqa. I cannot recollect the time that the shift was scheduled to start, but it was brought foreword and we were summoned from our accommodation about an hour early. We were told that this was because the weather at Marham was deteriorating and the schedule had been advanced to beat the weather.
I was the only Radar Fitter on the shift so I had to do both pre-flights. I had completed the inspection and signed the F700 of one A/C and while I was carrying out the 2nd pre-flight, one Cpl Greaves, an Armourer, came to the A/C to tell us that flying was scrubbed, ‘because of the weather at Marham’.
The shift then closed up the A/C and put the bung’s in the engines etc. and we went to an unexpected early night in bed. I believe that this was about 02:00 local time.
The following morning we were awakened by a very noisy day shift. This was most unusual as day workers normally respected the night workers rest period. They had heard on the radio that a Valiant had crashed at Marham.
We immediately assumed that this was why ‘our’ flight had been cancelled, awaiting an investigation.
The next we knew was when the morning newspapers arrived by civilian airline. The casualties were named in one paper; this told us that it was a 214 Sqdn. crew. The Crew Chief named was Chief Tech Bob Sewell. Bob was the Crew Chief of XD858, so we assumed that it was this A/C that had crashed.
About mid day, we had a Valiant fly in from Marham and we were assembled for a briefing where we learnt that the A/C involved was XD869.
All of the above are my recollections of the night, what follows is what I gleaned later, so I suppose it is hearsay, but it is 1st hand hearsay from other Sqdn. members.
As was normal for ‘Lone Ranger’ flights, two A/C were prepared and two air crews readied. Because of the schedule being advance very close to ETD. The spare aircrew did the A/C ‘walk around’ while the prime crew attended their briefing.
On ‘Lone Ranger’ flights, where the Crew Chief was flying in the A/C, another Crew Chief was assigned to do the actual seeing off. In this case Bob Sewell was the ‘other’ Crew Chief. The Crew Chief of XD869, whose name escapes me, was suffering from a heavy cold or ‘flu, so asked Bob to take his place on the ‘Lone Ranger’. Bob went home to his family in Married Quarters to pack a bag and promised to bring home some pineapples for his kids. The ‘Lone Rangers’ to Eastleigh were known as ‘the pineapple run’.
I know that the person that did the Radar pre-flight was one Cpl Mick Dunn, as he later told me how worried he was about having done a pre-flight on an A/C that crashed. Mick later became a navigator and was commissioned. He came from Leeds.
The Officer Commanding 214 Sqdn at the time was Wg. Cdr. Mike Beetham DFC, he later became Chief of the Air Staff, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB, CBE, DFC, AFC, DL, FRAaes. He is still alive, albeit now in his 80’s.
I still exchange Xmas cards with my then boss Sgt Brian King, as I recollect, he was not a member of the Luqa detachment and as a Sgt. would not have been on the night shift at Marham. If desired I can write to him to see if he has any information. He does not have e-mail.
If you have any other questions I will try to help.
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Thanks SO much, Ian16th. I'll pass this on to Flt Lt Howard's nephew. I have no direct involvement or knowledge of the crash ( I didn't join the RAF until 1971) but have been touched by the family's honest and sincere for knowledge of events. I'll pass this on immediately.
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The last I heard Sir Michael Beetham is President of the Bomber Command Association.
RAF BOMBER COMMAND
I understand he is very approachable.
RAF BOMBER COMMAND
I understand he is very approachable.
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XD869 Crash
Since sending my earlier contribution, I have looked at the 214 Sqdn Association website, where it clearly states that there were 7 crew aboard XD869 and one of them survived.
This is not my recollection of the event.
Furthermore, I never heard of 7 people flying in a Vickers Valiant in all of my more than 4 years working on the type.
There were 6 seats in a Valiant, two ejector seats for Captain and Co-pilot, 3 rear facing seats for 2 Navigators and 1 WOP/AEO. There was a 'jump seat' that was used by the Crew Chief on the occasions that he was needed to fly in the A/C
This is not my recollection of the event.
Furthermore, I never heard of 7 people flying in a Vickers Valiant in all of my more than 4 years working on the type.
There were 6 seats in a Valiant, two ejector seats for Captain and Co-pilot, 3 rear facing seats for 2 Navigators and 1 WOP/AEO. There was a 'jump seat' that was used by the Crew Chief on the occasions that he was needed to fly in the A/C
Since sending my earlier contribution, I have looked at the 214 Sqdn Association website, where it clearly states that there were 7 crew aboard XD869 and one of them survived.
See below.
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Google Image Result for http://www.johnw55.freeuk.com/vbomber/images/raf06w.jpg
See if this link works. Found it while surfing for some Valiant info. It's the memmoirs of a National Serviceman. About half way through there is a reference to the crash in question.
See if this link works. Found it while surfing for some Valiant info. It's the memmoirs of a National Serviceman. About half way through there is a reference to the crash in question.
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6 not 7 Casulties
I have learnt today, from the 214 Sqdn Association that Flt Lt Gallienne was not on board XD869 for its last flight. They are updating the Associations website and adding a photo of a very young me 
It was a surprise to me, 50 years after the event, to discover a report that there ever were 7 people flying in a Valiant.
Working in this A/C when it was on the ground was problematic enough, particularly when trying to do the last After Flight of a night shift.
It was a surprise to me, 50 years after the event, to discover a report that there ever were 7 people flying in a Valiant.
Working in this A/C when it was on the ground was problematic enough, particularly when trying to do the last After Flight of a night shift.
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pontifex,
From my memories of half a century ago, the BOI only found 'possible' causes. Runaway TPI was one of the suspects, but no evidence of such. Definitely not a failed switch. Everyone on every Valiant sqdn was aware of the switch problems.
Does Deepest South have access to the copy of the BOI findings that the family of Flt Lt Howard have?
From my memories of half a century ago, the BOI only found 'possible' causes. Runaway TPI was one of the suspects, but no evidence of such. Definitely not a failed switch. Everyone on every Valiant sqdn was aware of the switch problems.
Does Deepest South have access to the copy of the BOI findings that the family of Flt Lt Howard have?
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Ian16th - sorry, I don't have access to the BoI. I've asked the family member for information, though - either for me to pass on to PPrune, or for him to add to PPrune himself. The only comment he has made to me in the past is that the BoI seemed to indicate human error.
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Memory Jogged
After the intervening half a century, I believe the Crew Chief that had 'flu and didn't fly in XD869 that fateful night was a Chief Tech Jarvis.
I have circulated a request to my own address list of ex V Force aircrew, which includes a lot of old Valiant hands, so some personal reminiscences may come from this. As an aside, it as always struck me that quite a number of fatal accidents involving V aircraft occurred when someone was in the 6th seat (or even the 7th in the case of the Vulcan at Luqa in the 1970's). I wonder if anyone has studied this for a possible connection.
Just an update on the above, a number of ex Valiant guys who were at Marham at the time of the crash have been in touch with me. Contact me for email addresses if you are interested to get in touch with them.
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ian16th
We were all made aware of the TPI runaway problems after this crash. If memory serves at this range a TPI isolate switch was hastily installed on the centre consol. On every sim session thereafter one would trim forward as the flaps came up with one hand on the trim switches and the other on the isolate switch. It got Alan Pringle very upset when he couldn't catch you out!
We were all made aware of the TPI runaway problems after this crash. If memory serves at this range a TPI isolate switch was hastily installed on the centre consol. On every sim session thereafter one would trim forward as the flaps came up with one hand on the trim switches and the other on the isolate switch. It got Alan Pringle very upset when he couldn't catch you out!