Wellington R1795 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
During the evening of 10th October 1941 the crew of this 458 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a night circuit-flying exercise. While landing at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield at 22.30hrs the aircraft landed too fast, overshot and ran into contractor's materials at the end of the runway (stated as being a pile of steel railway lines in the AM Form 1180). The aircraft was slightly damaged.
Pilot - P/O Bernard Peter Hickey RAAF (404456).
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington R1795 was built to contract B.992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in May 1941. It was initially placed into storage with 48 M.U. at Hawarden on 16th May 1941 until being taken on charge by 458 Squadron on 4th September 1941 at Holme on Spalding Moor. As a result of the landing accident there on 10th October 1941 minor Cat.A/FA damage was the result and it was repaired on site. It doesn't appear to have ever been used operationally by 458 Squadron. It was returned to 458 Squadron on 13th December 1941. In February 1942 458 Squadron transferred to Middle East Command. This aircraft was not one of those flown out. It was transferred to 300 Squadron at Hemswell on 16th February 1942 and later moved with them to Ingham. It served with them until sustaining Cat.B damage on 27th July 1942 due to flak on an operational flight, the bomb doors would not close and one of the main wheels was shot loose. The pilot managed to bring the aircraft home but it was transported for repair at Sywell. Once repaired it was placed in storage at 45 M.U. in December 1942 until October 1943 when it was flown to 23 M.U. On 25th November 1943 it was taken on charge by 104 OTU in Transport Command, based at Nutts Corner. On 18th January 1944 it overshot on landing at Nutts Corner and crashed. Cat.B damage was the initial damage assessment but this was later upgraded to Re-Cat.E2/FA and it was struck off charge on 12th February 1944.
On 23rd October 1941 F/O Hickey was the flying in Wellington R1765 that was returning to base having been damaged by flak on Ops to Le Havre. The flak damage prevented the aircraft being flown with reasonable any control. While over Hampshire the order to bale out was given and all but the rear gunner (Sgt Raymond Hobbs RAF (645079)) survived. On 9th January 1942 F/O Hickey was flying 458 Squadron Wellington R1785 when it failed to return from Ops to Cherbourg. The aircraft crashed in Normandy with the loss of all on board. Bernard Hickey is buried in Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery. In 2008 a memorial to this crew was dedicated near the crash site.