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Tillett, James(Entry 9-37)Tillett was a student of St Lawrence's College, Ramsgate and entered Cranwell in September 1937. He was a Flight Cadet Sergeant, his sports being athletics, cross country and hockey. He graduated from Cranwell as a Pilot Officer with effect from 29 July1939 and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 3rd September 1940.On 7th September he was posted to 238 Squadron at St. Eval. Tillett%u2019s third and operation with 12 Squadron was an attack on %u2018E%u2019 Boats in Boulogne harbour at first light. It was a successful sortie.The squadron was scrambled on 6th November to intercept a German bomber force heading toward Portsmouth.%u00a0%u00a0Tillet%u2019s aircraft, Hurricane V6814, was probably one of two shot down that day by Major Helmut Wick in a Messerschmitt Bf109.%u00a0%u00a0Eyewitnesses say that the Hurricane belly-landed in a field near Whitedell Farm, that Tillet was slumped over the controls and could not be got out of the aircraft before it caught fire.Two boys witnessed the crash and later recorded what they sa'We saw him swoop down, he slid to a halt, dust and mud flew everywhere. When he did not emerge from the cockpit, we ran over to the aircraft. He was slumped forward over the controls, we banged on the cockpit canopy, but he did not answer or move. We tried to get the pilot out of the cockpit, but the canopy would not move, hard as we tried, it would not open. Whilst we did this we noticed that the smoking engine had caught alight. The only thing we could do was grab handfuls of dirt and throw that onto the engine cowling, in an attempt to smother the fire (we had seen this being done to put out incendiary bomb fires). In seconds, the fire had spread, engulfing the cockpit area. We knew we could do no more for our brave fighter pilot. The heat of the fire got so hot, we had to get back. We then thought about the ammunition, which might go up. It was awful ! We just had to stand there, whilst the flames consumed everything. It was the saddest day of our young lives '.A short time later, on 28th November, Major Wick was himself shot down and killed over the Isle of Wight.%u00a0%u00a0He too was young %u2013 25 - though an air-ace credited with 56 %u2018kills%u2019 and a holder of the Iron Cross.The 238 Squadron ORB recorded:Tillett was of small and delicate stature, and a retiring nature, P/O Tillett was a good steady pilot of firm character, who gave all the promise of a useful and successful career. He is the first Cranwell officer lost from this squadron. Tillett is buried in Ann%u2019s Hill Cemetery, Gosport.