William Albert Hannaford and crew of LK385
This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Keith Hannaford, son of William Hannaford
W/O WILLIAM ALBERT HANNAFORD service number 640428 born 4th December 1916 died 6th June 1944 while serving with 149 Squadron.
He was the wireless operator in a heavy bomber aircraft Stirling LK385, which set out on a Special Operations Mission to attack a target near Caen, in connection with the Normandy invasion and sadly failed to return.
The aircraft crashed into a farmhouse at Baudre, a village south of St Lo, Manche, Normandy, France. It is not known if the plane was shot down or developed an engine fault.
The rest of the crew were:-
37177 S/Ldr CJK Hutchins -Pilot
152049 F/O JB Hornby – Navigator
1671946 Sgt RHS Hart – Navigator
1580762 F/Sgt AR Wincott – Air Bomber
631478 F/Sgt W McCoy – Flight Engineer
165926 Sgt RW Abrams - Air Gunner
1625609 Sgt FW Bellamy – Wireless Operator
Additional information from Normandy Memorial Trust: The crew were carrying out a Special Duties mission to drop dummy parachutists as part of Operation Titanic. This operation aimed to confuse the Germans and make them think that the Allied airborne landings were taking place over a wider area than they really were.
FALLEN HEROES
WILLIAM ALBERT HANNAFORD
Royal Air Force • WARRANT OFFICER
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 27
SERVICE NO. 640428
CHARLES JOHN KENNETH HUTCHINS
Royal Air Force • SQUADRON LEADER
Royal Air Force
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 27
SERVICE NO. 37177
JAMES BROOKS HORNBY
Royal Air Force • FLYING OFFICER
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 21
SERVICE NO. 152049
ROBERT HENRY STANDING HART
Royal Air Force • FLIGHT SERGEANT
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 23
SERVICE NO. 1671946
ARTHUR RONALD WINCOTT
Royal Air Force • FLIGHT SERGEANT
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 20
SERVICE NO. 1580762
WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER MCCOY
Royal Air Force • PILOT OFFICER
Royal Air Force
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 23
SERVICE NO. 55793
RONALD WALTER ABRAMS
Royal Air Force • SERGEANT
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 20
SERVICE NO. 165926
FRANK WILLIAM BELLAMY
Royal Air Force • SERGEANT
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air ForceDIED 06 June 1944
AGE 20
SERVICE NO. 1625609
