Wellington Z8849 near Snaith airfield.

On the evening of 14th December 1941 this 150 Squadron aircraft was flown on training flight. The pilot was a regular second pilot of 150 Squadron aircraft but was not yet a captain of his own crew, he was working up to being a captain on the arrival of further aircrew to the squadron. When coming in to land at Snaith at 23.45hrs the approach was long and realising the problem the pilot correcting began to take overshooting action. Normally this would including raising the flaps and undercarriage, setting the propellers correctly and applying power to the engines to climb away. Unfortunately the aircraft would not maintain height and crashed a mile south of Snaith airfield. The pilot was the only airman to sustain injuries and he only suffered a broken arm. It was thought that most of the aircraft's control settings that needed to be made to carry out an overshoot hadn't been made by the time it crashed. The 150 Squadron records were very poorly compiled regarding non-operational flying and also not identifying anyone but officers properly. None are fully identified and through searching the operational flights all but the pilot were part of the same crew. Thankfully the casualty file AIR81/10942 in the National Archives does identify all on board and also gives the location as being at Balne Hall. A reference to the aircraft crash landing at Highgate Farm has also been found though this is a mile from Balne Hall.

Wellington Z8849 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in August 1941. It was initially collected by 8 M.U. based at Little Rissington on 17th August 1941 and was then taken on charge by 150 Squadron at Snaith on 21st August 1941. As a result of the damage sustained on 14th December 1941 Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded after assessment. It had clocked up just short of 150 hours total flying time by this date.

Pilot - Sgt Myrddin Gwenland Lewis RAFVR (1061949). Injured. Broken arm.

Observer - Sgt H J Kay RCAF (R/54989).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Harold Young RAFVR (981538).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Richard Arnold Brown RAFVR (978265).

Air Gunner - Sgt H P Quinn RCAF (R/62714).