Wellington DF624 near Stokesley.

On 21st December 1942 the crew of this Wellington were undertaking a training flight from their base at East Moor and while the aircraft was close to the North Yorkshire Moors flying near Stokesley the aircraft suffered an electrical failure which caused the propellers on both engines to go into a fully fine pitch. This caused the engines to over-rev and over heat. The skipper ordered his five crew to abandon the aircraft, this was done successfully with the exception of the rear gunner who was injured on landing. The aircraft crashed south of Stokesley and was destroyed. East Moor took charge of the crash site; they sent transport to gather the crew up, put a guard on the aircraft and destroyed secret equipment it was carrying. The aircraft is believed to have crashed near Kirkby, south of Stokesley. Aircraft relic hunter Ken Ward recovered a number of large sections of this aircraft which reside in his Bilsdale collection.

Wellington DF624 was built to contract 92439 by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd at Blackpool and delivered to the RAF in August 1942, after acceptance it was issued to 156 Squadron at Alconbury. It was later transferred to 429 Squadron when the unit formed at East Moor on 7th November 1942. It would be the first Wellington MkIII lost by 429 Squadron. The aircraft suffered Cat.E2/FA damage in the incident near Stokesley. Aircraft part collector Ken Ward is known to have dug the crash site and recovered items for his private collection in Bilsdale.

Pilot - Sgt John H Black RCAF (R/118059), of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Navigator - Sgt A Napier.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Peter G Rothera RAFVR (1387403), of South Tottenham, Middlesex.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Peter S Bastian RAFVR (126739).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J H West RAF.

Rear Gunner - Sgt R G Moore RAF, serious back injuries.

Four of this crew, Black, Rothera, Moore and Napier had all reported to the Squadron from 29 OTU on 16th December 1942, only afew days prior to their incident over Stokesley. Whilst at 29 OTU the four named were involved in another lucky escape, again Sgt Black was the pilot. Wellington X4001 was taking off at North Luffenham for a night flying exercise on 16th November 1942 when it struck a fuel bowser which was inadvertantly crossing the runway due to a misunderstanding on the part of the bowser driver. The aircraft crashed injuring all six on board.
On 2nd March 1943, Sgt Black was also the skipper of Wellington HZ260. The crew were detailed for a mine laying operation to the Nectarine fields. The aircraft was attacked by the enemy killing one of the crew. The aircraft eventually ditched in the North Sea, 87 miles off Cromer where two of the crew managed to get into the dingy. The remaining other two crew sadly did not and went down with the aircraft and were lost. The Pilot, Sgt Black and the bomb aimer, Sgt Rothera had both been in the Wellington at the OTU when it crashed and had baled out of the Wellington near Stokesley afew months previously and now found themselves in a dingy in the middle of the North Sea. Over two days later a ASR aircraft located the two afloat in the North Sea and rescue came, Sgt Rothera was picked up tired but alive, sadly Sgt Black had died of exposure afew hours earlier. Sgt Black's body was returned to East Moor and he was buried on the 8th March, along with another airman from another crash. The service was held at Sutton on Forest village church, both Civil priest and RAF padre conducted the service. Sgt Black was laid to rest at Midday in Huby Road Cemetery, where he still lies.

Sgt Black's headstone at Sutton on the Forest Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Sgt Rothera returned to 429 Squadron East Moor. The casual reader to this webpage would hope that he had seen more than his fair share of bad luck, however he was to be killed on 4th July 1943 when the Wellington he was in was shot down. He was initially buried locally in Holland but his remains were taken to Bergan op Zoom War Cemetery after the War ended. He was twenty five years old.
P/O Bastian lost his life on 26th March 1943 when Wellington MS487 was hit by flak. The aircraft crashed in Holland killing three of the crew.