Tragic Irony

Saturday, 29th November 1975 was the day that changed forever the lives of the Hill family. Graham had been with his team to the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France. Originally planning to fly home Sunday morning, but eager to get home, Hill decided to return that night. He filed a flight plan and asked Elstree airfield to telex Bette so she would expect him. Bette was holding a small dinner party that evening at Lyndhurst. Brigitte was at a friend's twenty-first birthday party and Damon and Samantha were spending the evening at home watching television. Graham Hill's Piper Aztec plane left Marseilles at 6pm en route for Elstree airfield which was just a few mile's from the Hill's house at Shenley. On board were five passengers. Between them they comprised the nucleus of the Embassy-Hill Formula One team. By 9pm, the aircraft had flown the six hundred miles over France, crossed the Channel and was skirting around the north of London, towards Elstree. The weather over much of southern England that night was foggy, with visibility in places down to ten yards.

Hill spoke to the Elstree flight controller: "I'm now making my final approach." The plane was now just three miles from the runway. Air Traffic Controllers at Heathrow, watching the aircraft's progress towards Elstree on their radar, saw the trace suddenly disappear from their screens. The Elstree flight controller was the last person to hear Graham Hill's voice. The plane was flying too low and touched the top of a sixty foot sycamore tree, causing the twin-engined aircraft to tumble to the ground, disintegrating as it fell and then exploding. The plane had come to rest on Arkley golf course, just one and a half minutes flying time from the safety of the Elstree runway. All aboard were killed. The scene was one of devastation, pieces of charred and tangled wreckage lay about the fairways and bunkers of the golf course. The golfers ran from the clubhouse to the scene and found the wreckage still on fire, with bits of red and white fuselage (the Embassy colours), hanging from branches. Back at Lyndhurst. the first indication that something was wrong was a journalist telephoning to ask "if it was true about Graham Hill". Bette Hill, describing this later, dismissed the phone call as yet another trivial enquiry.

Minute's later it was Damon, having seen a news flash on television rushed into the kitchen to tell his mother that a plane had crashed at Arkley and that they thought it was Daddy. When the police knocked at the door, Damon's fear was confirmed. The shock to the Hill family was immense, Graham had seemed indestructible. Having driven more than seven hundred races and survived at least eighteen high speed crashes over the years, it seemed impossible that he should now be stolen from them. He had led a charmed life, but when he retired from Grand Prix driving, everyone had been relieved. Bette Hill always felt she would die before her husband - she thought he was going to live to be a hundred. He was their tower of strength. He was always so full of life. Now he was gone. The grief was felt nation-wide, and around the world. The country had lost not just a great sportsman, but also a statesman. He had not only done so much to enhance the prestige and popularity of the sport but around the world his name was associated with being British. His face was one of the most famous in the country. The impeccably combed-back shining hair, the unmistakable moustache - never seemed to be away from our gaze. Hill had become a legend in his own lifetime, but to achieve it he had always been prepared to take risks. Ten days before his death he had said: "Of course people have to take risks, especially in the racing game. But although I'm something of a fatalist, I believe you can do a lot about what happens to you".

The last words he wrote in his autobiography, which lay unpublished at the time of his death, revealed a sentiment that he had often expressed in interviews and speeches: "If the worst ever happens - then it means simply that I've been asked to pay the bill for the happiness of my life. Without a moments regret". Hill had once explained his strategy for survival on the track: "I always worked out just how fast you could take a corner - then took it a fraction of a second slower." From time to time he may have contemplated the risks involved in motor racing - and accepted them, although he would do his best to minimise them - but the thought of ending his life in the plane he loved to fly, probably never entered his head. If there is such as thing as life after death, Graham, as usual had an up-beat thought on the matter: "If there is one - then cheers - I'm all for it. I've enjoyed this one so much, I wouldn't mind having another. I'm looking forward to it, eventually. Bette said that the whole family loved flying with Graham - they called it "Hill-arious Airways". He had bought his first aircraft with the winnings of his victory in the 1966 Indianapolis 500 race. "He used the plane just as much as his car, probably more. He was as safe as houses in the air. He was not a daredevil on the track and he certainly wasn't one in the air. He never took any chances. He was so meticulously thorough. I used to watch him as he checked out every single instrument before starting off. He used to take the children up on Sunday morning trips. He taught Damon to fly, and allowed Brigitte and Samantha to handle the controls as well." In flying circles however, Graham Hill was known as "Old Zoomer", which meant that he would attempt - and usually succeed in - flying feats that were reckoned impossible. A fellow pilot based at Elstree said: "Being a racing driver he made a calculated risk and came unstuck. All I can say is that he had a reputation for getting into this airfield under adverse conditions and this time he made a misjudgement in the fog. Conjecture as to what happened that foggy night continued for months. Theories abounded: the favourite was that the altimeter had been incorrectly set, leading Hill to believe he was safely 300ft above the ground as he made his approach, whereas he was only 300ft above sea level when he crashed.

The funeral of Graham Hill was held on the 5th December 1975 at St. Albans Abbey. The whole world wanted to show it's respect for Graham, but only 2,000 mourners were able to press their way into the 11th century cathedral - a similar number stood outside in the misty afternoon air of the orchard, listening to the service on the public address system. Graham's coffin was topped with his crash helmet, in the familiar dark blue and white colours of the London Rowing Club - accompanying this was a sheaf of deep red roses, a tribute from Bette. The pallbearers were six of Graham's closest friends including John Coombs and Jackie Stewart. The ushers reflected Hill's wide popularity and included the ex-boxer Henry Cooper, and comedian Eric Morecombe. Many more famous and familiar names attended the service: Lord Montague of Beaulieu, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Ronnie Peterson, John Surtees, Rolf Stommellen and Lord Snowdon. Snowdon had in fact turned down the opportunity to fly back to England with Graham on that fatal flight and spoke of the guilt that had overcome him. Twenty-four boys from the Springfield Boys Club paid tribute to a "real pal" while six of Damon's friends had come out of respect for Graham and fondness for Damon. The service was conducted by the Bishop of St. Albans, Dr. Robert Runcie. He summed up what many people felt about Graham Hill. "Graham Hill had a genius for breaking through formality into something warm and personal and immediate, whether you knew him from a distance, or close to, he was as they say 'for real' - he communicated. In an age which is short of joy, he brought happiness to millions and in drawing out happiness, he drew out admiration for excellence and for character." Graham Hill was buried in the graveyard of St.Boltolph's in Shenley.

After the funeral, came the trauma of accepting and adjusting to a world without Graham. For Bette, screaming to herself in her car was a way to release some of her pent-up grief. Tributes flooded in for Hill. Jackie Stewart said "I owe an enormous debt to Graham. When I started, he took me under his wing and taught me more than any other driver could. He was the first to congratulate me when I beat him in the Italian Grand Prix for my first Grand Prix win in 1965. In 1966 he undoubtedly saved my life. The Times Newspaper wrote: "Graham Hill was not merely a double World Champion, but also the sport's number one ambassador. He was too, a driver who offered star glamour at a time when motor-racing was becoming a highly technical business. While the Sunday Telegraph described him as "suave and dapper, motor racing's most influential ambassador. He never forgot his humble beginning...a generous and staunch patron of disabled drivers. The Guardian was no less flattering: "There has probably never been such a universally popular racing driver. Hill earned the affection especially of British enthusiasts by appearing less of a dedicated monastic than some of his more tedious contemporaries. People realised his achievements were more the result of determination and hard work than natural ability, and identified more easily with him than ever they did with the well-publicised adroitness of Jackie Stewart, or the shy genius of Jim Clark. But at the Springfield Boys Club, sixteen year-old Charles Amos succinctly summed up everyone's feelings: "We'll miss him something awful. He was a great geezer."

Life had to go on for the Hill family. "For eight days I was in a trance. Then suddenly, I woke up and it was gone. Almost as if I had woken from a sleep" said Bette Hill. She made a conscious decision that life should return to some form of normality. Bette convinced the children they must return to school that Monday and not a day later as it would get harder as each day passed. The inquest into the men's deaths was opened at Hornsey on 2nd December 1975 and after formal identification, it was adjourned. It was to be four agonising months before it returned verdicts. On the 7th April 1976, verdicts of accidental death were found on all six victims of the crash. The Coroner said that if Hill had been reading directly from his altimeter set at QNH (barometric reading at sea level) it would have given reading of over 400ft when he crashed. Two new vital facts were also revealed, facts that could influence any insurance pay-outs and consequently the whole future and lifestyle of Hill's family. Firstly, Graham had an American Instrument Rating - which had expired. In theory, without an up-to-date instrument rating, no pilot is allowed to enter controlled air space, which is used by commercial airliners. Hill must have flown through controlled air space to approach Elstree. According to the Department of Trade, there was no question of Hill's competence as a pilot, but, it was said, that failure to switch altimeter settings was the kind of lapse an annual rating could reduce. Secondly, it appeared that Hill's plane was removed from the American register with the intention of placing it on a Caribbean register; but for some reason the transfer had not been completed. So in effect, his plane was unregistered. There was no evidence that the plane was improperly maintained. Hill was meticulous about maintenance. But, an unregistered plane is like as unregistered car - outside the operation of standard checks.

Bette Hill did not attend the inquest, not wanting to rake through all the details. It was enough to know they had died - "nothing would bring them back" she said. While the verdicts were being returned, Bette was holding a bring-and-buy sale for the local church at Shenley. "Graham never looked back. He looked to the past for experience, but mainly forward to the future. That's how I am trying to live now." Graham had always provided generously for his family. Now he was gone, his widow was not sure what their financial position was. Bette had never had to budget on this scale before - Graham had always managed the business and money side. "Just leave it to your old Dad" is what he would say. It soon became apparent that although they were not poor, their future was nowhere near what might have been expected. Much of Graham's own money went into setting up and developing his Formula One car and team. Hill had raced in the twilight of an era where cars were either works or private entrants and appeared without the enormous sponsorship that was soon to become an inescapable necessity. Hill's sponsors - Embassy (the Wills tobacco giant) decided a few weeks after the crash that they would withdraw their presence (and money) from what remained of the Hill team.

Just after the accident, one of Hill's former drivers - Guy Edwards issued an injunction on Graham Hill Racing, claiming for loss of earnings. In 1974 Hill had offered Edwards a two-year contract to drive for his team. But when he broke his wrist, another driver was taken on and Edwards services disposed of. Now the Hill family was facing a £30,000 legal battle that could take many months to resolve. By April 1976, Bettes' fear was the cost of 'Lyndhurst', their mansion in Hertfordshire. "I don't know whether I can keep the house. It is really too big for me and the children. I might not be able to afford to run it. I don't know what provision Graham made for us." When Graham Hill's will was published it revealed that he had left all his property to Bette, and a sum of £41,726. Summer came, and her mind made up, Bette put 'Lyndhurst' on the market. It was expected to fetch at least £150,000 and the Hills prepared to move to a smaller house. The family had also been mentioned in another racing driver's will - that of Jo Bonnier, the bearded Swedish driver who was killed during the Le Mans 24 hour race in 1972. He and his wife, Marie Anne had been close friends of the Hills since the early sixties. Bette remembered Bonnier "with desperate, desperate hurt - a serious Swede. Once you do know a man like that, though, then you are in his life for ever. There was always a bed for the Bonniers in our house" Bonnier left about £8,500 to Bette Hill. They had not allowed her to receive the money while Graham was alive but some of the money could be used to finance Damon's and his sister's education. Bonnier had always worried about racing safety and the wives and children of the drivers. Along with Stirling Moss and Graham Hill he founded the Grand Prix Driver's Association in the early 1960's. It's main aim to ensure safety measures at tracks were enforced and improve overall racing conditions. Graham Hill once said of Jo Bonnier "that he had kept the association going - if it hadn't been for him, a lot of the drivers now alive would be dead". It was to be another twenty years before it reformed.

When the Department of Trade's Report was released it established that Hill was breaking at least five flying regulations at the time of his crash. The report said that he did not have a valid rating to fly by instruments alone, yet he flew in controlled British and Foreign air space, where strict instrument-flight rules were in force. Spurred on by the accident report, three of the widows whose husbands died in the crash decided to sue Bette for compensation. The writs alleged that Graham was negligent in the control of his aircraft. Janet Brise, whose husband had been tipped as a future champion, said "it's for a substantial amount of money as Tony would be earning a lot by now. I'm hoping that the action does not damage my friendship with Bette. I don't think it affects her directly - It's against Graham Hill Racing. The Hills were wonderful to Tony and me. I'm sad that things turned out this way". Mrs Brise may have hoped - but these actions certainly did affect the Hill family directly. Coming just before Christmas 1976, with the knowledge that all five families were expected to claim £125,000 between them, there was a fear that the insurance policy may have been invalidated by some technicalities. The solicitor acting for Bette, said "The insurance people have not refused to pay out - it's just not possible to amplify on that. We already have three claims against the estate and one against the company - we expect a total of five". Although the plane was insured at Lloyd's of London with passenger liability of £25,000 per person, Graham Hill himself was not insured. Hill was, however, covered by a separate life insurance, but this only benefited Bette to a sum less than £20,000. Two months later, Arkley Golf Club put in a claim of £500 to compensate for the damage caused by the crash. The committee of the club decided to ask for the money to pay for repairs to the scorched grass and felled trees around the 4th green

Faced with the possibility of paying these claims from her own pocket, Bette took the heartbreaking decision to auction over four hundred of the most treasured possessions of her late husband. Among the lots were three of Hill's championship trophies - two Italian and one Spanish; the major part of Hill's library, antique furniture, ninety bottles of champagne and a pair of Hill's fireproof racing overalls. Motoring mascots, magazines, sixty of Hill's paintings, ornaments - all found buyers. With much of the contents of Lyndhurst now gone, the Hills moved to a more modest, but comfortable, four-bedroom house in a quiet, leafy corner of St. Albans. But, in time, Bette's aim was to move down the motorway, closer to London. The house, newly constructed in pale-brick and still to be dominated by memories and mementoes of Graham was chosen not just because it was smaller and cheaper to run than Lyndhurst but also for it's proximity to the children's schools. Inside, the sitting-room, with it's dark brown walls and white shag carpet was brim-full with those pieces that Bette just could not bare to part with. "I did hope we would not have to move from Lyndhurst, but I had to sell it. I asked if I could stay five years to see Samantha through school - but my advisers said I couldn't stay a year. I couldn't heat the house."

Reflecting on how her life had changed in such a short period, Bette said: "Lyndhurst was beyond our wildest dreams, but Graham loved it. We had such lovely parties there. He was such an outgoing man. He loved to share. I miss all that. We had fabulous times with lots of people around us. Now they have all gone. They disappeared very quickly. I don't know why, perhaps they are embarrassed. At least I know who my real friends are." "I hate it when the racing season starts in January and they go off to South America, I feel very left out of it, but it's no ones fault. I go to the British Grand Prix and sometimes I go down to the pits and have a little wander, but my stomach is in my mouth. I can still go motor racing because it didn't happen there." "The future - I just live from one day to the next now. We have to watch the pennies, but I'm determined not to let the children lose out. Brigitte hopes to go to Sheffield University and perhaps be an industrial or political psychologist and Damon wants to follow Graham and be an engineer. He's mad on motor bikes and has just passed his moped test. Poor old Damon, it would have been so terrible if he had failed."

Graham Hill's autobiography - 'Graham' had been published in October 1977. He had almost finished it at the time of his death. During 1975, He had been dictating the story to his friend, Neil Ewart. Bette added a moving final chapter, talking about the accident, it's effects and her attitudes and plans for the future. HRH the Prince of Wales wrote the foreward - having twice been driven around a racing circuit by Graham, he gave a humorous personal account of his experiences with Hill. Two years after the crash, the claims for compensation were still unresolved and worries about money remained. Bette: "I have to take a job. Every penny counts nowadays whereas in the past, Graham would just ask what I needed. He was very generous. Graham was never a hugely wealthy man, and in any case he put his money into his racing team. The big money for racing drivers came after his time. Now I am waiting to see what the lawyers say about the claims. I realise that everyone concerned deserves something. Three other girls were widowed at the same time. I will just sit tight and hope I can cope." Bette was still involved in many of Graham's charities and of course, the Doghouse Club. "I haven't had a job for twenty-five years. All I know about is motor racing but I think I would make a good PR."

Following his death, the Graham Hill Appeal Fund, headed by Lord Montague of Beaulieu, was set up to raise money to found a rehabilitation unit at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore. Hill, an ex-patient, later became a member of it's council. In May 1976, Lord Montague launched a national appeal for donations. Helped by the League of Friends at Stanmore, by December 1977, £110,000 had been raised. The unit, which ultimately cost £250,000, was opened by HRH Prince of Wales on 30 April 1979. When Graham Hill Racing was disbanded as a racing entity, one of the remaining cars, GH2, was presented to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. Handing over the car were Damon and Brigitte, watched by their mother. The annual Silverstone International Trophy was renamed after Graham Hill. The Formula One event, organised by the BRDC was of particular significance in Graham's career. In 1958, it was his first Formula 1 race, he won it in 1962 and it was also his last F1 victory in 1971, and in 1975 it marked his last F1 race. In 1976, the race was led from start to finish by James Hunt in a McLaren, breaking the lap record for the circuit. Afterwards, Bette Hill presented Hunt with the winners award. Before the race, there was a parade of twenty-nine cars, representing some of the seventy cars Hill raced between 1954 and 1975.