On the night of 13th / 14th October 1942 the crew of this 425 Squadron aircraft had left Dishforth to undertake an operational flight to bomb Kiel but lost power in the starboard engine on the return leg of the flight. The fuel to the starboard engine ran out soon after crossing the Yorkshire coast. The pilot attempted to reach an airfield (possibly Driffield) to land but then a short time later the port engine also ran out of fuel. The pilot appears to have ordered his crew to bale out and all but him left the aircraft. Both the wireless operator and second pilot were injured as a result of their landings. The pilot then remained strapped in and attempted a forced landing at 00.55hrs in a field near Rectory Farm, Beeford. Unfortunately the aircraft crashed and was badly damaged. This incident is recorded in 2 (C)OTU's orb as occurring near their "Q" Site. An investigation looked at why the aircraft could have ran out of fuel and it was thought possible that the fuel consumption may have been mis-managed or that flak damage may have caused the wing tanks to have been holed but the crash damage prevented this being proven.
Wellington BJ783 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden, Chester and was received by 46 MU on 9th August 1942. It was taken on charge by 425 Squadron at Dishforth on 16th September 1942. As a result of the accident on 14th October 1942 the aircraft was written off with Cat.E2/FB damage being recorded. The aircraft was struck off charge on 21st October 1942.
Pilot - P/O Richard Seymour Clinton RCAF (J/16202). Of Whitney Point, New York, USA. Injured.
Second Pilot - Sgt Joseph Albert Delorme RCAF (R/101687), of St.Adolphe, Manitoba, Canada. Slightly injured.
Navigator - Sgt Alfred George Rowe RCAF (R/102799), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Joe Richard Latremouille RCAF (R/91339), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Injured.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Thomas Donavan Copeland RCAF (R/78486), of Dundalk, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt Stewart Cuthbert RAF (619927).
On 9th / 10th November 1942 Sgt Delorme was flying in 425 Squadron Wellington BJ764 on Ops to Hamburg, while over mainland Europe a problem developed with the aircraft and he and one other member of his then crew baled out of the aircraft. His pilot was able to regain control of the aircraft and the remaining four airmen in the aircraft stayed with it but before they could land control was lost and the aircraft crashed near Beetley, Norfolk and all four airmen were killed. Some would say Sgt Delorme was the lucky one, after baling out he was taken prisoner and saw out the War as a PoW.
Richard Clinton was born on 11th May 1913 in Whitney Point, New York, USA and enlisted into the RCAF on 19th May 1941 in Ottawa before the USA entered the War. He received his commission on 23rd January 1942. He flew his first operational flight as a second "dickie" pilot on 29th September 1942 and the first as captain on 5th October 1942, the crash at Beeford occured on his fourth operational flight. For service with 425 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th July 1943 and presented by King George VI on 19th October 1943. He transferred to the American forces on 20th October 1943 and would survive the War. The draft citation for his DFC was made in May 1943 when he had flown twenty seven operational flights and stated.. "This officer has been engaged in many successful sorties over enemy territory against a large variety of targets including Kiel, Hamburg, Essen and Cologne. He has completed these missions with consistent skill and courage, setting an inspiring example of skilful pilotage, cool judgement and determination which has been an inspiration to his crew." His Commanding Officer at Dishforth also wrote.. "Pilot Officer Clinton has proven himself to be an excellent bomber pilot. He has carried out operational sorties with such determination and vigour and has handled his crew with such forceful tact that he has inspired in them great confidence, and has set a splendid example to other captains. I recommend that he be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross."
Richard Clinton survived the War and continued to fly as a pilot with the American Export Airlines (AEA). Between August 1945 and November 1947 he flew a range of aircraft across the Atlantic and from Newfoundland to New York as part of the US Air Transport Command (ATC). He was almost certainly killed as a result of a flying accident in 1948, his death was registered in New York in 1948 but the reasons surrounding his premature death are not yet known, he was thirty five years old. Details found on a web-forum list that he flew the following post-war..
2nd August 1945 he flew from Stephenville, Newfoundland in aircraft "2206" consigned to AEA-ATC owned by the U.S. Government.
14th August 1945 flew from Stephenville, Newfoundland to New York.
23rd August 1945, flew from Stephenville to New York flying for Transport Command,plane 2271.
9th September 1945 flew from Goose Bay, Newfoundland to Lagaurdia, New York,plane 2177.
20th September 1945 flew from Bermuda to New York.
6th October 1945 he flew plane 2289 from Goose Bay to New York with a named USA crew for a Capt George Burgard who was capt.
28th October 1945 he flew from Gander, Newfoundland to New York in plane 2461 (ATC) for a capt Berkeley Brandt & all USA crew.
17th November 1945 flew from Gander to New York.
23rd December 1945 Flew from New Brunswick to New York.
2nd June 1947 flew from Shannon, Ireland to New York (Capt. Maguire).
28th July 1947 flew from Shannon, Ireland to New York Capt McGeoghan.
5th September 1947 flew from Shannon to New York captained by Frederick Anderson.
27th September 1947 flew from Shannon to New York, Capt James Blackman.
Alfred Rowe (left) and Joe Latremouille (right). Photographs of Joe Latremouille and Alfred Rowe via Mr Alan Soderstrom.
Thomas Copeland, George Rowe and Joe Latremouille would later receive their commissions and completed tours. They were posted to 432 Squadron but by 1945 they were flying with 434 Squadron together in F/Lt Fern's crew on a second Tour. All were killed on 11th March 1945 flying Ops to Essen in Lancaster KB834 after being hit by flak over the target. Latremouille was twenty two years old, Copeland was twenty five and F/Lt Rowe DFC was twenty four. All are buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Joe Latremouille was born on 5th January 1923 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of John Anthony and Maude (nee Coates) Latremouille. He was working as a clerk when he enlisted for RCAF service on 28th January 1941 in Toronto and trained as an air gunner on 8th November 1941. On arrival in the UK he trained at 3 (O)AFU and 22 OTU before posting to 425 Squadron on 9th June 1942. He was later posted to 432 Squadron on 1st May 1943 but was then posted to 23 OTU in July 1943 probably on completion of his first Tour. Searching the Canadian online newspaper records reveals that Joe Latremouille was seriously injured in July 1943 while at 23 OTU though, when creating this webpage, the circumstances of how this came about are not yet known. He served at 23 OTU until April 1944, probably instructing and was then posted to 22 OTU until being posted back to Canada in July 1944. He returned to the UK in September 1944 and after a brief spell at 1664 HCU was posted to 434 Squadron on 31st December 1944.
Alfred Rowe was born in Toronto on 24th March 1920 to Alfred Snr and Agnes Rowe, he almost certainly enlisted in Toronto. After serving with 425 Squadron he was posted with many of the others listed above to 432 Squadron where they appear to have completed their Tour. P/O Rowe was awarded the DFC for service with 432 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943, the citation reads.. "This officer has displayed high courage, ability and efficiency during many operational sorties over enemy territory. His outstanding skill as a navigator has been an inspiration to his crew and, in a large measure, responsible for their success on operations. Pilot Officer Rowe, who has displayed gallantry and devotion to duty in the face of the heaviest opposition, has set up an excellent operational record." He had probably married in Canada before posting overseas as there is no record of a marriage in England in the early 1940s under his name.
Thomas Copeland was born 2nd December 1919 in Dundalk, Ontario, Canada and was the son of James Coulter and Elizabeth (nee Carson) Copeland. Thomas was still at school when he enlisted for RCAF service on 24th October 1940 in Toronto. he trained as an air observer in Canada and received his flying badge on 31st January 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 3 (O)AFU and 22 OTU before posting to 425 Squadron on 19th August 1942. He was then posted to 432 Squadron on 24th June 1943 but then served at 24 OTU (from 7th September 1943) and 1659 HCU (in April 1944) before being posted back to Canada on 25th July 1944. He was then posted back to the UK in September 1944 and after a brief attachment to 1664 HCU he was posted to 434 Squadron on 31st December 1944. While stationed in the UK he married in Middlesex in December 1944 to Miss Vivienne Copeland who lived in Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex and she would later give birth to a baby girl. Thomas Copeland's brother James flew in the RCAF and was reported missing on 7th December 1944 flying with 429 Squadron, he was lost when Halifax MZ463 failed to return from Ops to Osnabruck.