Felixstowe Lancaster Memorial
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Suffolk
Felixstowe Docks P.1340 Memorial
Felixstowe Docks, Suffolk
Partial Record
Photographs
The Memorial
It is maintained by Felixstowe Town Council.
Type
Waterside marker
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Felixstowe Docks, Suffolk, Suffolk
what3words: ///cackling.half.nation
What Happened
On the night of 3–4 June 1940, Hampden P1340 of 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron lifted off from RAF Waddington bound for a bombing raid on Emmerich, Germany. Returning from the sortie, the aircraft flew into the barrage balloon defences near Harwich in darkness, and its wing struck a cable, sending the Hampden down near Shotley Point. Sergeant Edwin Joseph Spencer, the pilot, was pulled from the water by Petty Officer B. Driver of the Royal Navy and survived. His three crewmates — observer Pilot Officer Reginald William Roots, and air gunners Sergeant Albert Gross Kendrew and Sergeant Samuel Patrick Connell — were never recovered; all three were twenty years old. They are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, honouring RAF aircrew with no known grave.
Community Connection
Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
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Share remembrance informationAircraft & Operation Details
Fulmina regis iustaAircraft Type
Hampden P.1340
Squadron
44 (Rhodesia) Squadron
Station
Waddington
Date of Loss
1940-06-04
Operation Type
Operational
Target
Bombing sortie to Emmerich, Germany
Cause of Loss
Collided with barrage balloon cable near Harwich while returning from operations
Crew (4 members)
About the Crew
Sgt Edwin Joseph SpencerPilot
Rescued from the water by Petty Officer B. Driver of the Royal Navy, who heard Spencer's cries for help and dived into the river to find him clinging to a buoy. Spencer survived the war.
Sgt Spencer was the sole survivor. He abandoned the stricken Hampden after it struck the barrage balloon cable and was rescued from the River Orwell by PO Driver RN.
P/O Reginald William Roots(age 20)Observer
Body never recovered from the wreckage in the Orwell estuary. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, the RAF's memorial to aircrew with no known grave.
Sgt Albert Gross Kendrew(age 20)Air Gunner
Body never recovered. Wreckage was partially trawled up from the docks area in the 1980s but no human remains were identified. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Samuel Patrick Connell(age 20)Air Gunner
Body never recovered. All three missing crew members were aged just 20. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Felixstowe Town Council
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Woodbridge Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Felixstowe Town Councilparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Aircrew RememberedRetrieved 2026-03-24
Page for Sgt Edwin Joseph Spencer and the crew of Hampden P1340, 44 Squadron. Details the 3/4 June 1940 mission to Emmerich and the collision with a barrage balloon cable near Harwich on return.
What you'll find: Explore Memorial: Felixstowe Docks P.1340, honoring Sgt Edwin Joseph Spencer and crew of Hampden P1340, 44 Squadron's tragic mission in June 1940.
Pilot Sgt Spencer was rescued from the River Orwell by PO B. Driver RN. Three crew members were never recovered. Their names appear on the Runnymede Memorial.
TracesOfWar.comRetrieved 2026-03-23
Memorial listing for the crew of Hampden I P1340 at Felixstowe. Documents the memorial stone donated by the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company near the crash site on the north side of the River Orwell.
What you'll find: The Memorial: Felixstowe Docks P.1340, honoring Hampden I crew at TracesOfWar.com.
Memorial stone donated by Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company. Located near the Orwell estuary where the aircraft came down.
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Aircrew Remembered (retrieved 2026-03-24)
TracesOfWar.com (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph Suffolk (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-23
Do you have additional information, photographs, or corrections for this record? We welcome contributions from researchers, families, and local communities.
Suggest a correction or additionCan You Help Complete This Record?
This record for Felixstowe Docks P.1340 Memorial is partially complete. We’re looking for additional details such as crew information, photographs, narrative history, or source references.
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