Early Years

James Douglas Hancock was born in Bamford in 1920. His parents were Arnold and Ada. Arnold’s father was Samuel Hancock a carpenter who had been born in the village of Grindlow.
By 1910 Arnold was working in Raynes Park having trained as teacher at Goldsmith’s College. He was appointed head master of Bamford School in 1916. After a stint as headmaster of The Central Boys School in Barnes (London) he was appointed Head master of the Church of England School at Market Raisen in Lincolnshire’

Education

Both James and his younger brother Arnold Derrick (born 1921) went to the school where their father was head master. James, and probably also his brother, went on to the De Aston School in the town. After school James came to Sheffield as a pupil accountant and in 1939 was living in ‘digs’ on Glen Almond Road. His brother was studying Architecture at Liverpool University according to the 1939 register.

War Service

James joined the RAFVR soon after war was declared. By 1941 he was a Leading Aircraftman and in April that year trained a pilot. Two years later he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant. He was with 206 Squadron in 1944. The squadron’s role was to search for and destroy U boats around the coast using the Liberator aircraft. On 15th July James was the pilot of a Liberator off the coast of Norway; The patrol was uneventful. three days later he was patrolling over the sea north east of the Shetland Islands, another uneventful patrol.

On the 20th July James and his crew prepared for another patrol. But for some reason he was unable get airborne and the aircraft crashed at the end of the runway. James and seven the of the 10 man crew were killed.

One of the survivors, the aircraft’s navigator, Flt.Sgt. William Royston Hoyle was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for an attack on a U-Boat on 19th September a week after he returned to flying duties followig the crash. In recommending him for the medal his Station Commander said that “he is a strong, determined character and a very real asset to his squadron.” (https://finest-hour.co.uk/heroic-flt-sgt-hoyle-dfm-his-movado-weems/)

Liberator Mk VII

James’ body was returned to Sheffield and buried in the Graveyard at Fulwood four days after the crash.

The Fulwood Connection

James had married Joyce Rita May in the autumn of 1943. Joyce was the daughter of Joseph and Edith. Between 1927 and 1933 thay had lived in No. 67 Brooklands Crescent and afterwards on Marsh House Road at Ecclesall. But they maintained a connection with Fulwood and chose it as James’ last resting place. In time Joseph and Edith were buried in a different grave. James’ body was the only one placed in his grave.