Tail Gunner – S/Sgt Burnell W Hamilton

Staff Sergeant Burwell W Hamilton was the Tail Gunner and the only survivor of the accident.   It is told in the village, although we have no evidence to confirm this, that as the aircraft came down, it hit the top of a ditch which broke off the tailplane and rear gun position.  Both ended up in the ditch whilst the remainder of the plane was destroyed in the subsequent crash and explosion.  If it is true, it undoubtedly was the reason S/Sgt. Burnell’s life was saved.  He was, however, seriously injured returned to duty to fly again in a mission to Brunswick with the “Staber Crew” aboard B17G “Rum Dum” 42-31378.  His final mission was with the same crew in the same B17G to Munich on 18^th March 1944.