Subject

Civilian killed in the crash of Hampden bomber P4399.

Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this woman: Beatrice Lillian Daniels was born on 7 January 1891 in Warrington, Lancashire, a daughter of John and Anne Daniels. Her father had been both a Caretaker of Offices and an Engineer's Labourer. The 1901 census shows the family living at 29 Little Queen Street, Dartford, Kent and the 1911 census shows that they had moved to 62 Colney Road, Dartford and her occupation was a Tabloid Packer, Chemical Manufacturer. In 1915 she married William Thomas Vickery and their son, William Arthur Vickery was born on 19 January 1918.

Her husband died on 4 August 1937 and electoral registers show that she was living at 65 East Hill, Dartford with her son and brother-in-law, Frederick Vickery. She died, aged 51 years, on 31 July 1941 at 65 East Hill, Dartford, when a Handley Page Hampden Bomber, serial number P4399, that had taken off from RAF Luffenham in Rutland on Wednesday 30 July 1941 at 23.06 hours on a night bombing raid to Cologne, Germany, flew into an electrical storm on its return and crashed onto houses at 65-69 East Hill, Dartford, Kent, killing three RAF personnel on the aircraft and three civilians on the ground, including her brother-in-law, Frederick Vickery. She is buried in the Watling Street Cemetery, Dartford. Probate was granted to her son, Lance Bombardier William Arthur Vickery and her estate totalled £383-11s-0d.