The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. J Hardcastle

Jack Hardcastle, the son of George Thomas Hardcastle and Lily Hardcastle, nee Fawcett, was born in July 1921 in Hunslet, Leeds.

He worked as a telephone operator at one of the Leeds stations before joining the RAF in November 1938 as an Aircrafthand.

He later remustered as an Airman u/t WOp/AG and after completing his training joined 219 Squadron at Catterick on 13th July 1940.

He was later posted to 105 Squadron, operating the Blenheim IV from Watton. On 28th October 1940 he was aboard Blenheim T2229 on a night sortie to Mannheim. On its return leg the aircraft crashed at Cranmer Hall, two miles north-west of Fakenham, Norfolk.

Hardcastle was killed along with the pilot, P/O I Prosser and Sgt. A Dallas RNZAF.

Hardcastle, who was 19 and had completed 27 sorties, is buried at Whitkirk Cemetery, Leeds.