James was born in November 1912. After completing his education at Wrekin, he joined the Royal Air Force. Unfortunately, an accident left him with a broken shoulder, leading to his discharge on medical grounds. He subsequently found employment as a clerk at the General Accident Insurance Company, working in their Shrewsbury office.

Return to Service and Training

With the outbreak of the Second World War, James enlisted once again on 6^th September 1939. The very next day, he was recommended for pilot training. However, due to issues with his eyesight, he unable to pursue this path. Instead, James trained as a Flight Engineer in 1943, specialising in Wellington and Stirling bombers and becoming a member of the RAF Aircrew, service number 937748. Upon completing his training, he was posted to 196 Squadron.

Service with 196 Squadron

196 Squadron was based at RAF Keevil, Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. The squadron operated Short Stirling Mk. IV bombers, which were primarily used for transport, glider-towing, and supply-dropping missions. The squadron played a significant role in “Operation Market Garden” between 13^th and 17^th September 1944.

The Fate of Stirling IV LK142

Stirling IV LK142 was delivered to the RAF between May and July 1944 and was subsequently assigned to 196 Squadron at RAF Keevil, Wiltshire, with the unit code ‘5T-A’. On 24^th September, James served as the Flight Engineer on board LK142 for a Special Operations mission over France. During an SOE resupply mission near Spincourt in northeastern France, the aircraft tragically crashed into high ground due to a mis-set altimeter. The accident resulted in the loss of three out of the six crew members.

Legacy of LK142

The rear fuselage of the aircraft was later salvaged by a local farmer and repurposed as a stable for horses. In March 2000, this section was acquired by the Musée du Terrain d’Aviation de Condé-Vraux 1939-1945. Following the closure of this museum, in October 2024—eighty years after its final flight—the thirty-foot section of rear fuselage, spanning from the wing trailing edge and mid-upper turret to the fin, was transported back to England. It now resides at the workshops of the Stirling Aircraft Project, near the site of the former RAF Graveley in Cambridgeshire.

IN MEMORIAM

Today the three crew members lie adjacent to one another in Choloy War Cemetery.
 

A copy of this story is available for download here.

Revised: November 2025