The fate of Sargeant Dennis Nobel Part II

Sgt. Dennis Noble

Original art by Tim Groves

The Recovery Starts, 8th Nov. 1996

From the private collection of Rev. Anthony Martlew

Part of the Recovered Hurricane

From the private collection of Rev. Anthony Martlew

Rev. Anthony Martlew, with the Recovered Wreckage

From the private collection of Rev. Anthony Martlew

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You can read the first part of the fascinating story of  ‘The fate of Sargeant Dennis Nobel’ here.

Joined  the RAF in 1938

Dennis Nobel learnt to fly when he joined the Royal Air Force as a Volunteer Reserve, aged 18 in 1938.  When war broke out Dennis was moved to RAF Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire for full time operational training, before joining 43 Squadron at RAF Tangmere on the 3rd August 1940.  It was at this time that the Battle of Britain was at its most fierce, and the Luftwaffe directed its attentions on the airfields of southern England.  On the 30th August 1940 during the late morning twelve Hurricanes were scrambled from Tangmere to intercept German raiders, with P3179 piloted by Sgt. Dennis Nobel.  According to No 43 Squadron aircraft loss report, the raiders were intercepted as they crossed the coast, above the Lagoon, and Dennis’s Hurricane was hit at 11.58 am.

Rescue operation in 1996

Aviation enthusiast Keith Arnold was granted a licence for the recovery of the Hurricane by the MoD, as it was thought that Dennis’s body had been recovered.  The dig was carried out over 3 days in November 1996.  Some parts of the aircraft were discovered up to fifteen feet below ground; it had been calculated that the Hurricane’s impact speed was around 400m.p.h.   It came as no surprise to me, that on the second day of the dig, Saturday 9th November 1996, the body of Dennis was found.  The excavation at this stage was around 12 feet deep, and the feeling of Dennis’s presence was overwhelming.  For everyone involved it was a very emotional experience; I will never forget the look on Keith’s face as he held Dennis’s wallet in his hand. In my ministry as a Hospice Chaplain, I deal with grief, suffering, and death on a regular basis, but this was outside of any spiritual experience I had previously encountered.

Remembrance Sunday

The very next day was Remembrance Sunday, and it had been agreed to hold a service at the site.  News travelled rapidly, and by midday a large crowd had gathered, including the press and TV.  As I began the service, on that chilly, bleak November day, standing next to Dennis’s open parachute, a wonderful sense of peace descended upon us all. 

Dennis returned home

Although it was believed that Dennis’s body had been buried in his hometown of Retford Nottinghamshire, on Wednesday 4th September 1940, in the turmoil of war, that was not the case.  It was very upsetting for Dennis’s family when the full facts emerged.  However it was perfectly fitting that some months later, in January 1997 Dennis’s body was buried in his hometown. Requiescat in Pace Dennis. It was also perfectly fitting that the recovered wreckage of Hurricane P3179 was returned to Tangmere, and is now on display at Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, the very spot where it took off on its final journey on Friday the 30th August 1940.