During the early hours of 12th June 1941 this 25 O.T.U. Wellington was being flown on a training flight. Earlier that night the flare path was set out to allow a landing on the longer runway and another parked Wellington was deemed well out of the way not to cause an obstruction. As a crosswind later developed the runway in use was changed but the parked Wellington does not appear to have been moved as it was still not considered in the way. Wellington R1709 made an approach to land and then landed at Finningley at 02.30hrs. It was thought that the engines had been running too fast before landing because while there should have been ample distance to stop the aircraft on landing it was about to then over-run the airfield and pass through the hedge across the airfield boundary. To avoid this the pilot deliberately swung the aircraft. Unfortunately the aircraft turned towards and struck the parked Wellington N2801 on the nose with the starboard wing tip. This caused the N2801 to swing around and the wing of N2801 to cut into R1709's cockpit trapping the captain in his seat and injuring both him and second pilot.
Pilot - Sgt John Francis Cooper (565361). Seriously injured.
Second Pilot - Sgt Henry Albion Church RAFVR (904836). Broken leg.
Pilot - P/O Alfrey (Probably P/O Ronald George Alfrey RAF (67613)).
Observer - Sgt John Leonard Frederick Longmore RAFVR (1161938).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Wilfred Deryck Welham RAF (751432).
Wellington R1709 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in April 1941. The aircraft was taken on charge by 25 O.T.U. at Finningley on 26th April 1941. As a result of the damage sustained on 12th June 1941 repairable Cat.B/FA damage was the assessment and this resulted in the aircraft being taken to Brooklands, Service Aircraft Section for a repair in works. The aircraft was next taken on charge by 23 O.T.U. at Pershore on 16th October 1941. It was slightly damaged on or just before 26th January 1942 which saw it repaired on site. On 21st March 1942 it was taken on charge by 14 O.T.U. at Market Harborough. The aircraft was struck off charge on 4th May 1944 with Cat.E1 damage being an assessment, whether this was due to an accident is not yet known.
Sgt Church had only just survived the crash of Anson N9848 on 26th April 1941 at Finningley in which he broke a bone in his hand. He sustained a broken leg in the crash of R1709 but would recover from these injuries and eventually receive a posting to 106 Squadron. He was made a PoW with 106 Squadron on 26th July 1942 when Lancaster R5608 was shot down by a flak-ship on a mine laying flight, five others of the crew were killed and one other made a PoW. The aircraft crashed between the islands of d'Oleron and Ree, off the west coast of France. The RAAF casualty report for G J Bailey RAAF (403491) states that F/Sgt Church had completed five operational sorties with 106 Squadron at the time suggesting that he had not been with this squadron long.
Wilfred Welham was killed with 12 Squadron on 25th March 1942 when Manchester L7390 failed to return from Ops to Essen. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. His brother F/Sgt Leonard Charles Welham was killed serving with 97 Squadron on 10th November 1944 in the crash of Lancaster PB200.
John Longmore was killed on 12th September 1941 with 144 Squadron when Hampden AE121 crashed near Oakham, Rutland.
John Cooper would recover from his injuries sustained in the crash of Wellington R1709, he received a commission in early 1944. Postwar he would serve in the Aircraft Control Branch of the RAF until 1964.
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