Wellington T.10 MF633 at Kiveton Park.

During the night of 28th / 29th June 1951 this 201 Advanced Flying School aircraft was flown on a cross country training flight with three crew on board. The navigation part of the flight drew to a conclusion and with the crew then heading back to Swinderby, Lincolnshire where it was based, the final part of the exercise then included some single engined flying. The crew were to feather the propeller on one of the engines and then practice a single engined approach to land at Swinderby. While flying on one engine the aircraft dived into the ground just after 01.00hrs at Bishop's Field, Kiveton Park. The crash obliterated the aircraft, created a large crater in the field and all three crew were killed. It was thought that the pilot had become distracted by colliery lighting prior to the crash.

Pilot - F/O Thomas Andrew Blair Bond RAF (501122). Aged 23. Buried Belfast Cemetery, Northern Ireland.

Navigator - F/O Ryland Leonard Luffman DFM RAF (169399). Aged 25. Buried North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Dorset.

Air Signaller - Sgt Bernard Leslie Curson RAF (3106760). Aged 22. Buried Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey (214531).

Ryland Luffman was awarded the DFM for service with 101 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th January 1944 while a wireless operator / air gunner. He was made a PoW two months later when 101 Squadron Lancaster DV264 was damaged on Ops. His gravestone and also newspaper reports state he was a navigator at the time of his death in 1951.

Back to yearly selection.