Wellington Z1290 damaged by flak, returned to Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On the night of 20th / 21st October 1941 the crew of this 458 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing an airfield some five miles south-east of Rotterdam.
They took off at 18.27hrs and bombed the area of the intended target but the Wellington was struck by flak in the fuselage causing slight damage.
The pilot was able to bring the aircraft home and landed at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield at 23.37hrs. The damage to the aircraft was later repaired.
Pilot - Sgt Philip Pitcairn Mather RAFVR (920792).
Second Pilot - Sgt James Howard Holmes RAAF (404455).
Observer - P/O Leonard William MacDonnell RAAF (404439).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Frederick Jennings RAFVR (998625).
Air Gunner - Sgt Athol Louis Opas RAAF (400354).
Air Gunner - Sgt I A Anderson RAAF (401802?). Sqn ORB quotes this incorrect service number.
James Holmes was also born in Brisbane on 16th March 1915 and enlisted there on 19th August 1940. In April 1944 he was involved in ferrying an
aircraft back to Australia from England, via the USA. He survived the War.
Wellington Z1290 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in September 1941. It was received by 12 MU on 27th September 1941 and then taken on charge by 458 Squadron RAAF at Holme of Spalding Moor on 10th October 1941 when the unit was equipping with Wellington MkIV's. As a
result of the minor flak damage on 20th October 1941 Cat.A/FB would have been the assessment but nothing is shown on the aircraft's AM Form 78. The aircraft was repaired on site and continued to be used by 458 Squadron until they ceased operating Mk.IV Wellingtons in February 1942. The aircraft passed into the hands of 460 Squadron at Breighton on 13th February 1942. On 29th April 1942 it failed to return from ops to Kiel when it crashed near Neumunster with the then crew of six being sadly killed. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the records. It was struck off charge on 30th April 1942.
Philip Mather receieved 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 then awarded the Bar to the DFC also
for service with 7 Squadron (Gazetted on 16th N0vember 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 the rank of 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 him.
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.