Wellington W5486 at Driffield airfield.
On 14th July 1941 this aircraft was to have been used on an operational flight by 104 Squadron to bomb Hanover but a fire on the ground slightly damaged it and prevented it being used later that day. The starter kit used to start the engines caught fire and was totally destroyed, the fire from this slightly damaged the Wellington. The crew listed below were due to fly it but whether they were onboard at the time of the fire is not known.
Pilot - Sgt Clark.
Second Pilot - P/O Sutton.
Observer - Sgt Thomas Frederick Ebrill RAFVR (937441).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Michael Bingham RAFVR (941122).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Owen Weatherall Catt RAFVR (917824).
Air Gunner - Sgt Dreaver.
Wellington W5486 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in March 1941. It was received by 12 MU on 13th April 1941 and was taken on charge by 104 Squadron at Driffield on 27th April 1941, around the time 104 Squadron reformed. It's AM Form states that it sustained minor Cat.Ac damage on 2nd July 1941 with a repair on site being carried out. How this occurred is not yet known. The incident on 14th July 1941 is not logged on it's AM Form 78 suggesting the damage was very minor possibly only resulting in an engine change. On 15th August 1941 it failed to return from Ops to Hanover with the crew being all killed. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the paperwork.
John Bingham was later posted to 207 Squadron, on 12th September 1944 he was flying in Lancaster LM261 on Ops to Darmstadt but crashed in Belgium. He was initally buried in the US Military Cemetery at Les Fosses, Belgium but is now buried in Leopoldsburg Cemetery.
Thomas Ebrill died serving with 104 Squadron on 24th July 1941 flying in Wellington W5583 when he was struck by fire from an enemy aircraft. The pilot managed to fly the damaged aircraft back to land at Exeter but sadly Sgt Ebrill died soon after of his injuries. For his actions on this night the pilot, S/Ldr Harry Budden DFC was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Owen Catt was granted a commission in November 1943 and was later awarded the DFC for service with 7 Squadron in May 1944.