Wellington Z1272 damaged by flak, returned to Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.

On the night of 7th / 8th November 1941 the crew of this 458 Squadron aircraft were tasked with attacking the Dunkirk area when the aircraft was hit by flak. The crew were unhurt and the pilot was able to return safely to land at Holme on Spalding Moor at 00.18hrs. The unit ORB for this date is very hard to read, the crew appears to read as follows.

Pilot - P/O Kay Moore RAAF (400595), of East St.Kilda, Victoria, Australia.

Second Pilot - P/O John Douglas MacKeller RAAF (4025664).

Observer - P/O Kenneth Swift Campbell RAAF (404371).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Cedric Charles Chambers RAFVR (1359874).

Air Gunner - Sgt Eugene Patrick Hackett RAFVR (1181148).

Air Gunner - Sgt Sydney Bruce Gray-Buchanan RAAF (404376), of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

The photograph shown above was found on the Australian National Archives website and is now out of copyright. Four of the above are shown below (left to right). Sgt Chambers RAF, P/O Campbell RAAF, Sgt N G Stewart RAAF, P/O Moore RAAF, F/Sgt K W Gale RAAF and Sgt Gray-Buchanan RAAF.

Kay Moore was born on 4th December 1916 in Caulfield, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne in September 1940. He trained at 4 OTU and after posting to Holme on Spalding Moor he went with 458 Squadron to the Middle East. He later flew with 148 Squadron and was slight injured in an aircraft accident in June 1942 reaching the rank of Acting S/Ldr before relinquishing this and returning to the UK. He returned to the UK in February 1943 and converted to fly Lancasters with 1656 HCU, he later flew with 460 Squadron from 30th March 1943. F/Lt Moore was lost days later on 4th April 1943 when Lancaster W4310 crashed on Ops near Kiel. He is buried in Kiel War Cemetery and was twenty six years old. He was awarded the DFC on 16th February 1943 for his service in the Middle East, the citation reads..

"This officer, who has served as flight commander since October 1942, has set a fine example of perseverance and determination in finding and bombing targets accurately. He has taken part in many raids on Tobruk and has pressed home his attacks at a low altitude. S/Ldr Moore has, throughout his operational career, displayed courage and resolution of a high order and has machine-gunned many enemy concentrations from an extremely low level."

Sydney Gray-Buchanan was born on 26th July 1916 in Rockhampton, Queensland and enlisted in Brisbane. He was posted in to 458 Squadron on 12th October 1941 from 12 Squadron. He was awarded the DFM for service with 148 Squadron (Gazetted in March 1943 and presented at Buckingham Palace on 20th July 1943), the citation reads..

"F/Sgt Gray-Buchanan has distinguished himself by his coolness and determination. On two occasions the aircraft, in which he was flying as rear gunner, was attacked by enemy fighters. He obtained hits on an attacking Ju88 despite the fact that his own aircraft had been struck by the enemy's fire and bullets had passed through his flying clothes."

Cedric Chambers was awarded the DFM for service with 148 Squadron (Gazetted in March 1943), the same date as Gray-Buchanan's award and with the same unit it is possible they flew in the same crew. The citation for his DFM reads.."Sgt Chambers is a wireless operator of exceptional ability. He possesses an excellent technical knowledge, and on occasions has effected repairs to his wireless apparatus while in the air, and so enabled the mission to be concluded successfully." He was commissioned on 14th May 1943 (146643) to P/O on probation (emergency), he rose to F/O on probation on 14th November 1943 and to F/Lt on 14th May 1945. He remained in the RAFVR in the post-War period until 23rd October 1956 relinquishing his commission but retaining his F/Lt rank.
Kenneth Campbell was born in Ipswich, Queensland in March 1920, he enlisted in Brisbane. An RAAF airman with the same name and initials reached the rank of S/Ldr and was awarded the DFC, its is possible that the two are infact the same man.
Eugene Hackett received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 22nd June 1943, he was promeoted to F/O (war subs) on 22nd December 1943 and F/Lt 9war subs) on 22nd June 1945.
John MacKellar was born on 7th November 1919 in Leeton, New South Wales. He was later posted to 148 Squadron and awarded the DFC for service with them, Gazetted on 16th February 1943.
Wellington Z1272 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden (Chester) and was awaiting collection in August 1941. It was received by 46 MU on 26th August 1941 and was taken on charge 458 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 31st August 1941. It sustained flak damage on 8th November 1941 but this was not recorded on the aircraft's AM 78 history so the damage must have been only minor. It received Cat.Ac/FB battle damage on 27th December 1941 which saw it transported to Brooklands for repair on 9th January 1942. Once repair was complete it passed to 44 MU on 13th April 1942. It was then taken on charge by 301 Squadron at Hemswell on 27th August 1942. 305 Squadron began converting from Wellington MkII's to MkIV's so this aircraft was then transferred to them from 301 Squadron the following day, both units were based at Hemswell at the time. On 22nd September 1942 it sustained some form of battle damage, this was initially assessed as Cat.B but was then downgraded to Cat.Ac on 29th September 1942 and was repaired on site. It was returned to 305 Squadron in late-October 1942. On 13th January 1943 it crashed near Barrowby, Lincolnshire on return from a mine laying flight to the Brest area and the then crew of five were all killed. Cat.E2/FB damage was recorded on the paperwork and the aircraft was written off.

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