Wellington L4229 at Driffield airfield.
On 19th March 1942 this 1502 Beam Approach Training Flight aircraft suffered a breakage in the starboard throttle control rod while landing at Driffield at 16.25hrs, the pilot was left to make a landing at Driffield without the flaps extended and on just one engine. The aircraft was travelling too fast and it overshot the airfield, sustaining Cat.B damage. This was the aircraft's first flight since arrival from 3 O.T.U. at Cranwell and faulty maintenance was deemed to blame prior to the aircraft arriving at Driffield. The wireless operator was slightly injured, his rank is given in the accident form AM765c as being AC2. Eleven months to the day later he was killed on Ops and was still just seventeen years old, he must surely have lied about his age to enlist. All five of the airmen on board Wellington L4229 would be killed over the coming two years. Very sad.
Pilot (Instructor) - P/O Vernon Elton Sutherland RNZAF (NZ.402223).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt William Ewart Nixon Field RCAF (R/56351).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt Walter Robert Ferrier RCAF (R/77108).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Hay RAFVR (1002505).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - AC2 Derek Arnold Booth RAFVR (1378781). Minor injuries.
F/Sgt Field was killed serving with 405 Squadron on 27th June 1942 when Halifax W1175 failed to return from Ops to Bremen. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Walter Ferrier completed a Tour with 405 Squadron. Following time with 23 O.T.U. (probably instructing) he was posted to 1659 H.C.U. and then to 434 Squadron to begin a second Tour. He was killed on 20th December 1943 serving with 434 Squadron when Halifax LK686 failed to return from Ops to Frankfurt. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Derek Booth was killed on 19th February 1943 when 467 Squadron Lancaster ED525 was lost on Ops to Wilhelmshaven. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was still just seventeen years old.
Frederick Hay was killed serving with 35 Squadron on 15th April 1943 when Halifax HR678 failed to return from Ops to Stuttgart. He is buried at Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Vernon Sutherland was born in Wellington, New Zealand in November 1912 and when he joined the RNZAF in July 1940 he was working as a law clerk. He completed a Tour with 405 Squadron and was posted into 1502 Flight on 7th March 1942. He was later posted to 16 O.T.U. As F/Lt he was sadly killed when Wellington Z1665 crashed on take off from Barford St.John on 31st December 1942. He was thirty years old and is buried at Middleton Stoney Churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Sgts Field and Ferrier were detached to 1502 Flight from 405 Squadron for beam training, arriving on 14th March 1941 and returned to 405 Squadron when the course was completed on 20th March 1942. Both began operational tours with 405 Squadron by the end of March 1942.
Wellington L4229 was an early Wellington. It was built to contract 549268/36 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in August 1938. Initially it went into MU store until being taken on charge by 99 Squadron at Mildenhall on 25th November 1938. on 10th March 1939 it transferred to 149 Squadron at Mildenhall and then to 214 Squadron at Methwold on 6th October 1939. On 3rd January 1940 it was flown to 5 M.U. and then went to the AMDP on 1st April 1940. Throughout 1940 it was passed between the AMDP and other M.U.s. On 5th March 1941 it was taken on charge by 10 B.A.T. Flight at Leuchars. On 15th September 1941 it was taken on charge with 3 (C)O.T.U. at Chivenor but was detached to Kinloss for some of it's life there. 3 O.T.U.'s Wellingtons moved to Cranwell in July 1941. It was next transferred to 1502 B.A.T. Flight at Driffield, on 8th March 1942. On 19th March 1942 it crashed at Driffield sustaining Cat.B/FA damage, this saw it taken by road to Airwork General Trading Ltd. at Staverton for repair. Whilst being repaired it was converted to Ground Instructional Airframe 3122M. It was taken on charge by NO.11 School of Technical Training on 15th November 1942. After this date nothing more of the aircraft is known.