Wellington Z8400 damaged by flak, landed at Driffield airfield.
On the night of 7th / 8th December 1941 this 104 Squadron Wellington was being flown on an operational flight to bomb a target at Dunkirk and took off from Driffield at 20.08hrs. The crew bombed the target area from 4,500 feet but the aircraft was struck by flak. Despite the damage the crew made a safe landing at Driffield at 00.27hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Basil Andrew Adams RAFVR (1293087).
Second Pilot - Sgt Charles Kenneth German RAFVR (1056639).
Navigator - P/O Royal George Lindsay RAAF (401396).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Hubert Alan Radcliffe RAFVR (1104950).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Michael Francis Mulvey RAFVR (1252150).
Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Edgar Davies RAF (551875).
Hubert Radcliffe later received a commission. He was one of the 104 Squadron aircrew who went to 158 Squadron when it formed in February 1942. He was killed on 31st May 1942 when Wellington Z8577 failed to return from Ops to Cologne. He is buried at Vlissingen, Holland.
Michael Mulvey was in 158 Squadron Wellington W5358 on 12th April 1942 on Ops to Essen, the aircraft was hit by flak and he and his then crew were all made PoWs.
Peter Davies was earlier a wireless operator / air gunner with 236 Squadron in Fighter Command during Autumn 1940 and as he flew three operational sortied on 29th, 30th and 31st October 1940 he therefore qualified as being one of "The Few". Much later he was to serve with 35 Squadron. On 2nd June 1942 he was flying in Halifax R9444 on Ops to Essen when the aircraft was shot down over Belgium and he became a PoW.
Wellington Z8400 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in September 1941. It was received by
38 MU on 11th September 1941 and was immediately taken on charge by 104 Squadron at Driffield on 15th September 1941. It was slightly damaged in by flak on the night
of 7th / 8th December 1941 after which Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment. The aircraft was further damaged on 10th December 1941 when the tail wheel assembly
collapsed at Driffield when it was being towed (Probably Cat.Ac/GA). It was repaired on site and returned to 104 Squadron on 3rd January 1942. In February 1942 158 Squadron reformed at
Driffield out of "C-Flight" of 104 Squadron, they took Z8400 on charge. As a result of the minor damage sustained on 26th March 1942 Cat.A(C)/FB damage would have
been the damage assessment and a repair on site would have resulted although there is no mention of this incident on the aircraft's AM Form 78. In June 1942 158
Squadron commenced re-equipping with Halifax MkII's so the this Wellington was transferred to 12 Squadron at Binbrook on 4th June 1942. On 25th September 1942 it
moved with this unit to Wickenby. On 27th October 1942 it sustained major damage in a flying accident that saw Cat.B/FA damage be the damage assessment. It was
repaired in works at Fairfields. On completion of the repairs in June 1943 it was flown to 8 MU where it was stored. It was eventually struck off charge on 19th
November 1944.
Adams, German and Lindsay were killed on 15th January 1942 when 104 Squadron Wellington Z5417 was lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.