Saturday 19 July 2025 14.00 – 16.30 at St Peter’s Church Horningsea
On 19th July 2025 a plaque will be unveiled in St Peter’s Church, Horningsea dedicated to James M Farmer who tragically lost his life in Quy Fen a mile from the centre of the village of Horningsea on 19 July 1945.
The 19th of July will be exactly eighty years since his death. Even though Victory in Europe had been declared on 8 May 1945, the war in the Far East was continuing as VJ Day did not happen until August 1945. There were still a large number of American pilots based in the UK. Captain James Farmer was a distinguished P 51 Pilot with the USAAF based at Duxford on a training flight that day. During his service in the USAAF he had been awarded a number of medals for bravery in action – the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters.
John Wilson of Horningsea has been researching James’ life and the circumstances under which his plane crashed. His plane went into a spin and he bailed out, but his parachute failed to open properly. Two men from the village were first on the site by Crooked Drain where they were working, however he died before further help arrived. One elderly lady who used to live in Horningsea recalls that his body was brought into the church before it was removed back to the Base.
John has been in touch with the USAAF museum at Duxford and with the curator Hettie Hearn. With her help he has made contact with James’ great niece, Barbara, in the States. She is overjoyed that we are remembering him with this tribute. We will Zoom the event so she can watch it in the USA.
John has found photographs of part of the crashed plane and Jeff Crosby found remnants of the plane still buried in the Fen. The exhibition will include the photographs if not the remnants of the plane.
Two airmen from the USAF based at Lakenheath will come along and lay a wreath. Hattie Hearn from Duxford Imperial War Museum will unveil the plaque. Weather permitting, it is hoped that there will be a fly past of vintage planes at about 3pm during the afternoon.
The plaque has been funded by the Parish Council, the Horningsea Residents Association and the Village Green and Hall Trust. Peter Halford has worked with John Wilson to design the plaque. It has been a real village project.
As a number of the “small boys and girls” who remember the plane going down were pupils at Horningsea School it is a good opportunity to hold the Horningsea School reunion at the same time.
The event will take place at St Peter’s Horningsea between 14.00 and 16.30 on Saturday 19th July : the unveiling of the plaque in memory of James M Farmer; view an exhibition about him and Horningsea in War Time; meet up with old school friends, listen to the stories and recollections – and enjoy tea and cakes!
The Timetable for the Day
- 14.00 – 14.30: The Church Bells will ring (as they did 80 years ago for VE and VJ Day)
- 14.30 – 15.00: Ceremony: Unveiling of the plaque and Laying of the Wreath
- 15.00 (weather permitting): Fly over by Vintage planes
- 15.30: reading of the “ghost story” of the American Pilot at Eye Hall Fen written by Peter Crosby
- All afternoon: Exhibition; Tea and scones and chatter!
