Wellington W5491 attacked by night-fighter/and flak damage, returned to Pocklington airfield.
On the night of 16th / 17th August 1941 the crew of this 405 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to Cologne and left base of Pocklington at 23.50hrs.
The aircraft's intercom failed soon after taking off but the crew continued with the operational flight. This aircraft was
coned in searchlights near Hasselt and hit by flak, the Wellington was also attacked by a night-fighter and although the pilot
put the aircraft into a dive and escaped the rear gunner was killed in this action. A fire started in the rear of the aircraft
when a parachute caught fire but this was put out by the crew. It was hit again by flak which burst the starboard main wheel. The pilot
was able to return to Pocklington and make a landing at 05.50hrs. Unfortunately nothing could be done for the rear gunner, he had died instantly.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Reginald Percy Payton RCAF (353.A), aged 24, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Barmby Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Pilot - Sgt Vernon Elton Sutherland RNZAF (402223), of Wellington City, New Zealand.
Navigator - Sgt William Adino Newenham RNZAF (NZ.59869).
Second Pilot - Sgt John Mervyn Warnock RNZAF (402231), of Woodville, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
? - Sgt Bole.
? - Sgt Curtis.
Reginald Payton was born on 30th September 1917 in Plymouth, England and was the son of John Thomas and Elsie M (nee Gill) Payton. His mother died in 1927 and his father then appears to have later emmigrated to Toronto, Canada with his family in the early 1930s. Reginald's RCAF service is very different to most I have looked at. He enlisted for RCAF service on 15th May 1939 at Weston (Toronto), Ontario, Canada straight into the auxiliary 110 A.C. Squadron, based at Weston aerodrome and who were involved in army co-operation work. He did not enlist for aircrew duties and had served in a stores and equipment issuing role. He was still serving with 110 AC Squadron in February 1940 when the squadron were posted from Ottawa, Canada to Old Sarum, England and still in a non-flying role. He appears to have re-mustered as aircrew around May 1941 when he is listed in his service file as being an air gunner remaining with the same unit. 110 AC Squadron became 400 Squadron later in 1941 and as an air gunner he would have flown in their Lysanders on army co-operation work. 400 Squadron exchanged their Lysanders for Tomahawks in Summer 1941 so (having no use for air gunners) their air gunners appear to have been posted elsewhere. Reginald Payton was posted to 405 Squadron on 2nd August 1941. He was buried in the RAF plot in Barmby Moor Churchyard on 19th August 1941.
John Warnock was born on 12th April 1915 in Richmond, New Zealand and was an interior decorator when he enlisted in the RNZAF in July 1940.
As well as serving with 405 Squadron he also flew with 104 Squadron and 158 Squadron and had completed his Tour. P/O Warnock was killed on 8th
April 1942 when instructing at 22 OTU when Wellington R1773 crashed in Berkshire on a training flight. He was twenty six years old and is buried
in Black Bourton Churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Vernon Sutherland was born in Wellington, New Zealand in November 1912 and when he joined the RNZAF in July 1940 he was working as a
law clerk. He completed a Tour with 405 Squadron and was later posted to 16 OTU. As F/Lt he was sadly killed when Wellington Z1665 crashed
on take off from Barford St.John on 31st December 1942. He was thirty years old and is buried at Middleton Stoney Churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Sgt Newenham was born in Nelson, New Zealand in June 1914 and joined the RNZAF in October 1939. He was posted to 405 Squadron on 12th August
1941, he was awarded the DFC for service with 405 Squadron, Gazetted in March 1942, the citation reads.."As an air observer this officer
has displayed exceptional keenness and enthusiasm during his operational tour. He has participated in attacks on targets which have included
Cologne, Berlin. Kiel, Hamburg and Stettin. Although many of the sorties in which he has taken part have been of a difficult and hazardous
nature, P/O Newenham showed himself to be a capable and reliable observer." He later rose to the rank of S/Ldr and transferred to the RAF
in 1947. He later commanded No.2 Squadron from October 1948 to February 1950. Much of this information was supplied to a webforum by historian
Mr Bill Walker, to whom I credit his research.
It is possible that the Sgt Curtis named above was one John William Parker Curtis RAFVR who later served with 158 Squadron and was awarded the DFC and was MiD.
405 Squadron was the first RCAF bomber squadron to serve overseas, they received delivery of their new Wellingtons in late April / early May 1941.
Wellington W5491 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in early April 1941. It was received by 51 MU on 18th April 1941 and was taken on charge by the newly formed 405 Squadron at Driffield on 6th May 1941. As a result of damage caused by enemy action on 4th June 1941 Cat.Ac damage was sustained following assessment on 11th June 1941. It was repaired on site and returned to unit, possibly after 405 Squadron had moved to Pocklington on 20th June 1941. On 16th / 17th August 1941 it was damaged on Ops and the gunner, Sgt R P Payton, was killed. The pilot was able to return and land at Pocklington with damage to the starboard wheel, the rear turret and a fire in the rear of the aircraft. Cat.B/FB damage appears to have been recorded and it was again repaired on site. On 15th November 1941 it was returned to 405 Squadron but was transferred to 104 Squadron at Driffield on 31st December 1941. On 9th January 1942 aircraft hit a hedge on take off from Driffield for a training flight as a result of incorrect flap selection and crashed burning out. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was recorded after assessment and it was struck off charge on 18th January 1942.