South Yorkshire Times, July 3, 1943

Brampton Airman Lost

Body Recovered From Sea

The district has lost a promising and intrepid young airman by the death of Sergeant Pilot James Desmond Diggles Longden (22), son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Longden, 41 Knollbeck Crescent, Brampton, Wombwell.

The first news was that he was missing on active service, and later came a message that his body had been recovered from the sea and had been taken to a mortuary. At the request of the family the body was brought to Wombwell for burial.

Sergeant Pilot Longden was a cousin of Flight Sergeant Donald Diggles, D.F.M., son of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Diggles, of Smith Street, Wombwell, the first Wombwell man to win a decoration in this war. One of his brothers Kenneth (also aged 22) was accidentally killed at Cortonwood Colliery nine years ago, nine days after his marriage.

Sergeant Pilot Longden was an old boy of Ellis School, Brampton, and after attending Barnsley Technical College joined the R.A.F. in 1937 at the age of 16, proceeding to Halton, where he played cricket for the R.A.F. and won a medal.

A fighter pilot, he spent six months at Oklahoma, U.S.A., near the Mexican border, last year acting as an instructor in flying. He returned to England last September and resumed instructional work, also taking part in operations. Sergeant Pilot Longden’s father is well known at Wombwell and Darfield as a musician.

From C.W.G.C.:

Sergeant JAMES DESMOND DIGGLES LONGDEN
Service Number: 572845
Regiment & Unit/Ship: Royal Air Force

Date of Death: Died 23 June 1943
Age 22 years old

Buried or commemorated at WOMBWELL CEMETERY Uncons. Sec. Grave 3073.

Additional Info: Son of Ernest and Ann Longden, of Brampton.
Personal Inscription “THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD”

Headstone
Photographer: Rebecca Dodson