Wellington X3175 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
On the night of 25th / 26th March 1942 the crew of this 150 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Essen when the aircraft sustained minor flak
damage. The crew were able to return to Snaith and land without further incident. The damage was inspected and nine holes were found in the aircraft but were
quickly patched up on site, the aircraft was then flown by the same crew three nights later to St.Nazaire.
Pilot - F/Sgt Richard Bradburn Davenport RNZAF (404343). of Te Kuiti, New Zealand.
Navigator - P/O Owen Horace Morgan RCAF (J/7021), of Rosedale, Alberta, Canada.
Crew - Names unknown, possibly...
? - Sgt Baldwin (possibly Sgt Alexander James Baldwin RAFVR (1252087), of Erith, Kent).
? - Sgt White.
? - Sgt Mee.
Air Gunner? - Sgt Harry J Guy.
Richard Davenport's daughter Finola kindly contacted me in September 2012 and supplied a very detailed account of her father's life. Richard Davenport was born on 1st
July 1918 in Te Kuiti, New Zealand, after leaving school he begun working as a clerk at Dalgety and Co Ltd, Te Kuiti and studied accountancy. Richard learnt to fly in New
Zealand at the outbreak of the war when a local solicitor offered any young man flying leasons who wished to join the RNZAF. He enlisted into the RNZAF on 20th November
1940 and after initial training left for Canada in May 1941. He was then posted to England in July 1941 after further training, arriving at 11 OTU at Bassingbourn on 19th
July 1941. He was posted to 150 Squadron on 8th October 1941 with whom he served until 31st July 1942 had flown in 37 operational flights, completing 27 bombing operations
and two mine laying flights. After service with 150 Squadron he went down the route of training as a flying instructor, his initial posting was to 12 OTU but on 3rd September
1942 he was posted to No.3 Flying Instructor School at Castle Combe then back to 12 OTU a month later where he served until January 1945. He received his commission to the
rank of P/O on 11th July 1943 and was promoted to F/O on 11th January 1944. Post-war he returned to New Zealand and went back to a civilian life. He retired in 1979 and died
in Te Kuiti in November 1992. During his time with 150 Squadron he was involved in a number of flying accidents. The first was on 16th November 1941 to Wellington T2618 which
crashed near Kellington on return from an operational flight to Boulogne (detailed on this website on
this webpage. His daughter kindly adds that his next flight was on 30th November 1941
which turned out to be the first of 106 seperate flights with P/O Owen Morgan over the coming months; both non-operational and operational. On 25th March 1942 he was second
pilot of Wellington X3175 which undertook an operational flight to bomb Essen, the aircraft sustained minor flak damage though the crew were able to return safely to base.
X3175 was found to have received nine holes from flak upon inspection at base but cannot have been seriously damaged as he was again it's second pilot three days later
on Ops to St.Nazaire. On 6th May 1942 he was the pilot of Wellington X3451 that crashed near Askern on return from bombing
Stuttgart (detailed on this webpage). Just eight days after this serious crash he
married Celia Jones in Goole (with Harry Guy as bestman).
Wellington X3175 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate, Blackpool. It was received by 24 MU on 22nd March 1941 and was then taken on charge by 300 Squadron at Swinderby on 23rd April 1941, moving with them on 18th July 1941 to Hemswell. On 1st September 1941 it sustained minor Cat.Ac/FB damage. A repair on site was carried out and it was returned to 300 Squadron on 8th November 1941. On 30th November 1941 this aircraft was transferred to 150 Squadron at Snaith just before 300 Squadron ceased operating Mk.IC Wellington's. As a result of the battle damage on 26th March 1942 Cat.A/FB damage would have been the the damage assessment and it was repaired on site, it continued to serve with 150 Squadron until being transferred to 21 OTU at Moreton in Marsh on 1st April 1942. It was flown to 18 MU on 5th March 1944 and was placed into MU storage awaiting disposal. It was eventually then struck off charge on 21st March 1946.
Owen Morgan was born in Rosedale, Alberta, Canada in October 1918 and had served in the Westminster Militia before enlisting into the RCAF in Vancouver in
November 1940. He was commissioned in August 1941 and posted to 150 Squadron on completion of his training in the UK. He was awarded the DFC for service with 150 Squadron, the notification for this appeared in the London Gazette on 6th November 1942, the citation for the award has been traced by Hugh Halliday and it reads.. "Flying Officer Morgan has participated in attacks on some of the most heavily defended targets. Despite being seriously handicapped by air sickness and
being involved in two serious crashes, his morale has remained unshaken and his determination has never wavered. This officer has frequently brought his crew
back safely to base through extremely bad weather. With the aircraft damaged and the wireless unserviceable, he has displayed outstanding ability as navigator and his sustained courage and unusual initiative have been a magnificent example to his crew." This citation almost certainly is refering to his crash detailed
at the top of this page. He was presented with the medal at Buckingham Palace 1st February 1944. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 17th September 1943.
There was a Sgt A J Baldwin who was awarded the DFM for service with 150 Squadron (Gazetted on 27th October 1942) for making 36 operational flights who I link as being the same man involved in this incident near Snaith. The citation for his DFM reads.. "This airman has made 36 attacks over Germany and the occupied countries. On one occasion during an operation at Brest his aircraft was badly damaged and members of the crew were wounded. The successful completion of this flight was due to the resourcefulness and initiative of Sgt Baldwin."
He had received a commission before the DFM was awarded on 18th August 1942, and rose to F/O on 18th February 1943. The London Gazette does not list his F/Lt promotion, his rank may have actually been Acting F/Lt at the time of his death on 17th May 1944, aged 33. At the time of his death he was flying with 571 Squadron and is buried in Wandsworth Cemetery, London. He was the navigator on Mosquito ML988 which crashed while attempting to land at Oakington airfield.