Photo: Brian Chandler

Acting Pilot James Frank Thomas was with 6 FTS. He was flying XF684 Provost T1 at night from Flying Training School at RAF Ouston when he collided with another aircraft.
Lost to Service: A summary of accidents to RAF aircraft and losses of personnel 1959-1996; Colin Cummings; Nimbus Publishing; ISBN 0 9526619 0 X

The Times 01/08/1962

Air Crash Kills Student Pilots
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Aug. 14 Two R.A.F. student pilots were killed early today after their single seater Provost trainers had crashed near Ousten R.A.F. station, Northumberland. The pilots were Acting Pilot Officers J. F. Thomas, of Cape Town, South Africa, and D.R. Hyde, aged 18, of Norwood Drive, Torrisholme, Morecambe, Lancashire. After the collision one aircraft crashed in a cornfield and burst into flames. The pilot was trapped. The other pilot was thrown from his machine which broke up. His body was found among some trees.

Miss Roberta Davis, of High House Farm, Matfen, near Ouston R.A.F. Station, said she had been kept awake by the noise of the machines and heard a tremendous bang about 4 a.am. When she got to the window she saw one aircraft burning in the fields and wreckage from another about 200 yards away. The pilot trapped in the burning aircraft could not be reached.