St. Mary's Island, wreck of Handley Page Hampden bomber

1940 wreck of a British Handley Page bomber which was abandoned near St. Lighthouse. A Mark I twin-engined heavy bomber; one of a batch of 180 delivered between August 1938 and June 1939 to Contract No. 549267/36. Abandoned over Whitley Bay out of fuel on return from security patrol, 7th April 1940. The plane of 83 Sqn RAF Scampton had taken off on 6th April at 19.15 on operational patrol. On its return journey it ran out of fuel and crashed near St. Mary's Lighthouse. Crew: P/O W. Roberts, Pilot RNZAF, aged 25, was killed. P/O K. Brooke-Taylor, Obs RNZAF, aged 21, was killed. Sgt. A. McNichol, A/G, was killed. LAC D.W. Sharpe, A/G, was missing. P/Os Roberts and Brooke-Taylor are buried in Chevington Cemetery. The plane was built at Radlett. Delivered in 1938/9. Propulsion was by 2 Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial piston engines. Each engine was 1000hp. Armaments: 1 fixed and 1 flexible 0.303 inch nose guns and twin 0.303 inch guns in dorsal and ventral positions. Maximum bomb load was 4000lbs.