Tait, A J (Alan John)
Woodchapel
Sergeant Alan John Tait was the son of Robert and Margaret Tait; husband of Joy Olivia Tait, of Portstewart, who he had just married eighteen months previous. Alan had been the former principle of Ballygawley No.2 P.E. school, Northern Ireland and had left 3 years before to join the Royal Air Force. He was serving with 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds which was located northeast of the village of Elsham in north Lincolnshire at the time of his death.
Sergeant Tait and his crew had recently arrived at their squadron, as had a heavy Lancaster Mark III bomber, JB436. They were performing non-operational test flights on the plane before it could take part in any operations.
On the day of the accident the Lancaster bomber took off from RAF Elsham Wolds. Just after going airborne the engines failed and it plummeted into a field belonging to Turnpike Farm, which was adjacent to the airfield. On impact the plane burst into flames. Rescuers were soon on the scene, and they managed to get the severely injured rear gunner free, he was Sergeant John Jones. The sergeant would make a full recovery and return to other duties.
The rest of the crew were Sergeant A. J. Tait Sergeant, E. J. Andrews,[1] Sergeant T. H. Clapp,[2] Sergeant W. G. Parker,[3] Sergeant H. Featherstone,[4] and Sergeant S. Otty.[5] All six men lost their lives in the accident.
Sergeant Tait’s remains were returned home, and he was buried in the family plot in Woodchapel (St. John) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Northern Ireland.
Date of Death: 03/10/1943 (Aged 28)
Service: Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 103 Squadron.
Service Number: 1533637
Burial Location: Grave 203
[1] Sergeant Edgar James Andrews, Service Number: 1319131 was the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Andrews, of Paulsgrove, Portsmouth. He was laid to rest in Wymering (Peter and Paul) Churchyard, Hampshire.
[2] Sergeant Thomas Hill Clapp, aged 19, Service Number: 1587325 was the Son of Arthur Samuel and Annie Clapp, of Seaton. He was laid to rest in Seaton (Saint Gregory) Churchyard, Devon, England, West Part. Grave A.36.
[3] Flight Sergeant William Glen Parker, RCAF, aged 27, Service Number: R/155748, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Leonard and stepson of Clara Parker, of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. He was laid to rest in Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 14125.
[4] Sergeant Henry Featherstone, aged 30, Service Number: 933831 was the son of George Richard and Margaret Sarah Featherstone, of Leytonstone. He was laid to rest in City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park, England, Screen Wall. Square 241. Coll. grave 10801.
[5] Sergeant Spencer Otty, aged 23, Service Number: 1310459 was the son of Victor and Jean Otty; husband of Olive Grace Otty, of East Finchley. He is remembered on East Finchley Cemetery and St. Marylebone Crematorium, England, Cremation Panel 4.
