Wellington R1015 near Wetherby.

On the night of 25th / 26th April 1941 this 311 Squadron aircraft based at East Wretham was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Hamburg. On their return the crew became lost and ended up way too far north over Yorkshire. The crew noticed and then circled a search light and those on the ground realised that the aircraft was in trouble so directed a fixed beam towards Church Fenton airfield. The Wellington flew towards Church Fenton, they made three approaches to land but did not land as they received red signals each time. Running out of fuel the pilot of the Wellington opted to return to the search light and find somewhere to land nearby. The aircraft was force landed with the wheels down in a field two and a half miles north west of Wetherby. On landing the aircraft tipped on to it's nose before settling back onto the main wheels. The underside of the front turret, bomb sight and cockpit windscreen received minor damage and the second pilot received a knee injury.

At 02.08hrs a Defiant belonging to 54 O.T.U. was shot down near Thorp Arch and in fairness to those on the ground at Church Fenton they were probably not too keen on illuminating their airfield to allow the Wellington to land while there was an enemy presence in the area. The Wellington's time of forced landing is not yet known but other 311 Squadron aircraft were landing at their base around the same time.

Pilot - Sgt Jaroslav Doktor RAFVR (787212).

Second Pilot - Sgt Miroslav Styblik RAFVR (787495). Slightly injured.

Observer - F/O Frantisek Machalek (82620).

Wireless Operator - Sgt Bedrich Prochazka (787334).

Front Air Gunner - Sgt Karel Jansta (787126).

Rear Gunner - Sgt Karel Truxa (787348).

Wellington R1015 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in August 1940. It was initially received by 48 MU on 28th August 1940 and was taken on charge by 311 Squadron at East Wretham on 30th November 1940. As a result of the forced landing near Wetherby on 26th April 1941 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it appears to have been repaired on site in the field and flown out. The incident is not properly recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78 though it does log damage being inspected by No.43 Group D.A. and Cat.Ac damage resulting in the right time period. It was returned to 311 Squadron on 14th May 1941. It was then lost on 15th September 1941 (Cat.E(m) damage recorded) when it failed to return from an operational flight to Hamburg with the crew of six being killed.
Jaroslav Doktor flew a tour with 311 Squadron. He was later injured on 5th October 1942 when Beaufighter EL475 crashed on approach to land at Lichfield while he was serving with 51 M.U.

Miroslav Styblik died on 23rd November 1943 while serving in Canada with 111 OTU when Mitchell FV952 was lost off the Bahamas. He is commemorated on the Ottawa Memorial.

Back to monthly table.