Wellington R1785 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On 16th November 1941 this 458 Squadron aircraft was being used for a non-operational flight when, at 16.00hrs, the aircraft swung on landing
at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield and ran off the runway. A wheel sank into soft ground causing the aircraft to tip on to it's nose before dropping back down. Damage was sustained to the aircraft's tailwheel, starboard propeller,
front turret and bomb aimer's window but it was later repaired. The weather at the overcast and it was raining at the time of this incident, with moderate
winds recorded. The incident is listed over two pages in the unit ORB but continued into series of postings into the unit without
punctuation. It probably means the following crew were on the aircraft and all had had posted in the previous day. The airmen listed are..
Pilot - Sgt Philip Pitcairn Mather RAFVR (920792).
Second Pilot - Sgt Leonard David Watson RAAF (402813).
Observer - P/O Leonard William MacDonnell RAAF (404439).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Frederick Jennings RAFVR (998625).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Athol Louis Opas RAAF (400354).
Air Gunner - Sgt I S/A Anderson RAAF (401802?). Sqn ORB quotes this incorrect service number.
Len Watson was later posted to 20 OTU, on 20th March 1943 he was the pilot of Wellington X3547 when the aircraft crashed near Crewe, Cheshire
after it flew into a barrage balloon cable, all eight men on board were sadly killed. F/Sgt Watson was twenty four years old and was buried locally
at Byley Churchyard, Cheshire.
Wellington R1785 was built to contract B.992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd, at Chester and was awaiting collection in May 1941. The aircraft was issued to 48 M.U. at Hawarden on 16th May 1941 and was placed into MU storage. It was taken on charge by 458 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 4th September 1941 soon after the unit began equipping with Wellington MkIV's. It's AM Form 78 stated that it received a damage assessment on 1st October 1941 with repairs being started on 11th October 1941 and it then being returned to 458 Squadron once complete. This must relate to the incident on 23rd September 1941. As a result of the mishap on 16th November 1941 Cat.A/FA was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It was returned to 458 Squadron and continued to be used by them until 9th January 1942 when it crashed on return from an operational flight to Cherbourg when it struck HT cables near Fifehead Magdalen, Shaftsbury, Dorset. Sadly four of the six man crew on this occasion were killed. The aircraft was struck off charge on 1st February 1942 and is only recorded to have flown a small total of 23 hours total flying time when written off.
Philip Mather received a commission on 4th September 1942 (133928) to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).
He rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 4th March 1943 and to F/Lt on 4th September 1944. As P/O he was Mentioned in
Despatches on 2nd June 1943 with a huge number of other service personnel. As F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service
with 7 Squadron (Gazetted 16th February 1945) and was later awarded the Bar to the DFC also for service with 7 Squadron
(Gazetted on 16th November 1945). No citation for either award had yet been found. Details of any service in the post-War
period is not yet known.
Douglas Jennings received a commission on 17th April 1944 (174925) to P/O on probation (emergency) and rose to F/O
(war subs) on 17th October 1944. He survived the war.
Leonard MacDonnell was born in Brisbane in October 1913 and enlisted there. Nothing more is known about his RAF career.
Athol Opas was born in November 1920 in Caulfield, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne. Having later been posted to 108 Squadron he was sadly
reported missing on Ops to Tobruk on 12th August 1942 when Wellington AD629 crashed into the sea off Tobruk. He is commemorated
on the Alamein Memorial and was twenty one years old.
Leonard MacDonnell was born on 16th October 1913 in Brisbane, Queensland and enlisted there.