Sergeant Joseph B. Hayton, R.A.F.V.R.
Headstone, St. Mary's, Harrington Churchyard, Cumbria
It commemorates a casualty from each World War:
Corporal Robert C.F. Blair (died 08.05.1919)
Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton (died 16.11.1943)
(Harrington Churchyard, nr Workington, Cumbria)
For additional information click on 'Comments' below
posted by ritsonvaljos at 10:59 pm
4 Comments:
An eye witness report of the crash
A letter written by Police War Reserve Constable C.H. Swift (Deceased) from Chorley in 1955 to a relative of one of the crew members of Z8799 is reproduced below. This is by courtesy of Mr Stuart Nicholson, Parish Archivist of Whitehaven Parish (Church of England) and quoted here with permission.
P.C. Swift witnessed the final moments of the stricken aircraft. As his account explains, he was one of the first at the scene of the crash.
"That night was not a very dark one, neither was it stormy, yet for several nights previous, it had been intensely cold, with frost up to 15 below zero. I was on night-duty; it was a starry night, with white cumulus cloud, hiding a 3/4 full moon. I had been given 1.30am as my supper period, which we had in the Chorley Police Station. It was a 1/2 hour break and I remember the heavy drone of an aircraft at what seemed overhead, as I entered the station. Half an hour later, I left again in company of a Police Patrol Driver, to resume a given area of patrol.
Strange it seemed, the noise of the aircraft was still hanging around. My friend remarked how cold it must be up there, we could not see anything of course. For ten minutes or so, I had his company, he was finishing his night's duty and I was alone, making my way to a Police point expecting a visit there from the Sergeant of Inspector. It so happened that I was passing a branch of Leyland Motor Works, when the noise of an aircraft, increased tremendously. I looked up, there descending almost over my head was an aircraft. It bore a yellow and green light on each wing tip, and I could see two engine cowlings on each at the front.
My personal feelings at that moment were, 'Enemy aircraft - bombing the Leyland Works'. But, the plane was then only 2 or 3 hundred feet above with both its engines running at-full throttle, when over the houses in front of me, it disappeared. Two or three seconds later a crash came. It shook the ground where I stood, though the crashed plane was found 5 miles away, from that point. The time I shall never forget was 28 mins past 2 in the morning.
I ran to the telephone kiosk 30 yards ahead of me, when I heard running feet approaching, it was the Police Inspector and the Sergeant. They had heard all, but did not see anything. I confirmed a plane crash, and rang for a car. By 2.30AM, along with the Inspector and Sergeant, we were on the way to the countryside. The inspector asked me for an area likely to contain the crash, so we arrived at the edge of Anglezarke Moor, and proceeded to search the woods, but had to give up. We returned to the Police Station for reinforcements and left again at 7am with a party of 6.
I was given the lead so I made immediately for the Moors again and with coming light, continued the search. I discovered a rabbit dead, but not frozen, so we alerted all, and ahead of me was seen something unusual. It was a turret (rear gunner) and a petrol tank, 20 yards to my left was a Wellington Bomber lying on it’s back.We recovered five bodies, a sixth was later found beneath the front of the bomber. We had to search for identification purposes, discovering the first to be an Australian, another if I remember rightly came from Sheffield, the rest from the South of England.
They had in their possession identity cards, this proved to us that the bomber had not been over enemy territory. I remember to one of the crew had a long envelope, on the front was printed 'your photographs' one 1/2 dozen. Inside was one 1/2 dozen photographs of the airmen and a pretty young lady. That must have been one of the last things he did, collect his photographs, for none had been taken out.
You can have my opinion for what it is worth. The crash was not due to engine failure, for at no time did I hear any unusual noise from the engines. I would say the icy conditions forced the plane to crash. I had to make a report and plan of the crash, but that was the last I heard of the incident. I was not called to any Air Force enquiry. One of the Bomber's engines was missing, but recovered 12 months after in a wood, some 10 miles away in Darwen area, Lancashire".
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Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton
Some biographical information
Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton, RAFVR (28 OTU), was one of the aircrew of Z8799 accidentally killed whilst on active service on the night of 16 - 17 November 1943. According to his CWGC headstone, Sergeant Hayton died on 16 November 1943 - which was when the aircraft took off. However, the crash in which he was killed happened at 02:28 h on 17 November 1943.
Sergeant Hayton was the son of the late Amos Hayton and Ann Howie (previously Hayton, nee Banks). At the time of his death Sergeant Hayton was 34 years old. As stated above, Sergeant Hayton was one of a crew of six on board Wellington Ic Z8799 of 28 OTU, RAF Wymeswold (nr. Loughborough) to be killed when the plane crashed on Anglezarke Moor, near Horwich, Lancashire.
The other aircrew who died in the same crash were:
Pilot / Flt. Sgt. J.B. Timperon,
Co-Pilot Sgt. E.R. Barnes,
W.Op / Gunner Sgt. R.S. Jackson,
Navigator Sgt. G.E. Murray, and
Air Gunner Sgt. M. Mouncey.
Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton is commemorated on the St Nicholas' Parish Church WW2 War Memorial and the Borough of Whitehaven WW2 Memorial. Although he was laid to rest in Harrington (St Mary's Churchyard) near Workington, Cumbria, Sergeant Hayton is not listed on the War Memorial also situated in the churchyard.
His CWGC headstone also commemorates WW1 casualty Corporal Robert Coventry F. Blair (died 8 May 1919). It is believed there is no family connection between the two casualties.
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Aircrew of Wellington Bomber Z8799
Killed on active service 16 - 17 November 1943
CWGC citations
1. Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton
(Wireless Operator / Air Gunner)
Casualty details
Name: HAYTON, JOSEPH BANKS
Initials: J B
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 34
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 1119824
Additional information: Son of Amos and Ann Hayton, of Whitehaven.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Spec. Memorial.
Cemetery: HARRINGTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (U.K.)
---------------------------------
2. Flight Sergeant Joseph Banks Timperon
(Pilot / Flight Sergeant)
Casualty details
Name: TIMPERON, JOSEPH BANKS
Initials: J B
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 24
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 417249
Additional information: Son of John and Gertrude Elsie Timperon, of Ardrossan, South Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. A. Grave 197.
Cemetery: CHESTER (BLACON) CEMETERY, Cheshire (U.K.)
-----------------------------
3. Sergeant Eric Raymond Barnes
(Air Bomber / Co-pilot)
Casualty details
Name: BARNES, ERIC RAYMOND
Initials: E R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Air Bomber)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 22
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 1429176
Additional information: Son of Arthur and Hetty Amelia Barnes, of Nottingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. N.29. Grave 36.
Cemetery: NOTTINGHAM SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Nottinghamshire (U.K.)
-------------------------------
4. Sergeant Robert Sidney Jackson
(Air Gunner / U.T.)
Casualty details
Casualty Details
Name: JACKSON, ROBERT SIDNEY
Initials: R S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr. U/T)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 1807141
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Block 46. Grave 79.
Cemetery: WANDSWORTH (EARLSFIELD) CEMETERY, London (U.K.)
-------------------------------
5. Sergeant George Ernest Murray
(Navigator / Observer)
Casualty details
Casualty Details
Name: MURRAY, GEORGE ERNEST
Initials: G E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Obs.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 990575
Additional information: Son of John and Ada Rebecca Murray, of South Shields.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. R. Grave 8398.
Cemetery: SOUTH SHIELDS (HARTON) CEMETERY, Co. Durham (U.K.)
-------------------------------
6. Sergeant Matthew Mouncey
(Air Gunner)
Casualty details
Casualty Details
Name: MOUNCEY, MATTHEW
Initials: M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 19
Date of Death: 16/11/1943
Service No: 1593475
Additional information: Son of Matthew Henry and Annie Mouncey, of Leeds.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. BV. Grave 544A.
Cemetery: LEEDS ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY, Yorkshire (U.K.)
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