Saturday 19 July 2025 14.00 – 16.30 at St Peter’s Church Horningsea
On the 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 19th July 1945. The plaque has now been made and a suitable plinth will be made out of mahogany so it can join the war memorials in the village church.
The 19th of July will be exactly eighty years since his death. Even though Victory in Europe had been declared on 8th 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 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 from Horningsea recalls that his body was brought into the church before it was removed back to the Base.
Pete Crosby has written an account of farm workers who told the story of seeing the ghost of an American pilot standing on the very field where the plane crashed.
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.
John has found photographs of part of the crashed plane and has even found remnants of the plane still buried in the Fen.
He has invited various senior members of the USAF to come on 19th July and hopes that at least one representative will be able to attend, possibly with an Honor Guard. He has made contact with an American wartime reenactment group who hopefully will come and do a demonstration in one of the fields in the village. All being well there will be a flypast of three planes including a Mustang over the village at 15:00 on the afternoon of 19th July.
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. If you – or your parents or grandparents – went to Horningsea School then come along to meet up with your old school friends and exchange stories of Horningsea when you were growing up.
Put the date in your diary and make a plan to come along to St Peter’s Horningsea between 14:00 and 16.30 on Saturday 19th July for the unveiling of the plaque in memory of James M Farmer, to view an exhibition about him and Horningsea in War Time, to meet up with old school friends, listen to the stories and recollections – and enjoy tea and cakes!
As you may be aware we intend to place a plaque in the church on the 19th of July to honour James Farmer a pilot in the USAAF who crashed in Horningsea Fen on this day eighty years ago. Two men from the village were in the field at the time and went to his assistance when his parachute failed to open, but he sadly died. James had a distinguished career and received several military honours for his war service.
Approaches to the HRA Parish Council and village Millennium green trust have been made to cover the cost with good responses. The wooden plaque will be made of very old Brazilian Mahogany, in keeping with present memorials. Contact has been made with living relatives of the family in America who are very moved by our tribute to James. We are currently in contact with the US Air Force for their involvement and also The USAF museum at Duxford who will be represented on the 19th July
There are also other events in the planning for the day in the church.