On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942 this 150 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Cologne and took off from Snaith airfield at 21.45hrs. The time the crew released their bomb load is not known. The aircraft was attacked by an enemy fighter while flying at 10,000 feet on the return flight which caused the fabric on the trailing end of the port wing root to catch fire. The Wellington's rear gunner returned fire and claimed to have damaged the enemy aircraft. The fire took hold in the port wing root, despite the aircraft decending to 3,000 feet the flames spread to the rear of the fuselage. In the fifteen minutes it burned the whole of the fabric was burnt off the rear fuselage from the astrodome to the in front of the fin leaving the bare geodetic frame visible. The crew then flew back to England at 3,000 height but had to land at Snaith without flaps and with the undercarriage up at 03.45hrs.
The pilot took a number of photographs of the damaged aircraft and these are displayed on a superb website relating to his life at "www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Ken%20Law%203.htm". I find this remarkable that the crew were able to fly this aircraft so far with no fabric on half of the fuselage and presumably a large part of the port wing.
Sgt Law was later awarded the DFM for service with 150 Squadron, Gazetted in August 1942. The citation referred to this incident and stated.."Sergeant Law possesses commendable courage and he has a fine record of achievement won by exceptional fearlessness in the face of danger. In April 1942, when in combat with enemy aircraft over the North Sea Sergeant Law's aircraft was seriously damaged and set on fire. By skill and coolness he evaded the attacker, and enabled his crew to get the fire under control. He flew the aircraft back to base and made a perfect landing in the dark with the wheels retracted. Thus, by his calculated handling of his aircraft, both he and his crew escaped from a most perilous situation. On another occasion he demonstrated fine airmanship when flying his damaged aircraft back to base in very difficult circumstances."
Pilot - Sgt Kenneth Oscar Law RNZAF (NZ.41340).
Second Pilot - Sgt Charles Gordon Cairns RAFVR (10224003).
Navigator - Sgt "Jack" Fox. (Probably Sgt John Elston Fox RAFVR (1006355)).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Andrew "Jock" Briggs.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Bertie Harry Cosby RAFVR (1280615).
Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Weller RAFVR (1333817).
Sgt's Cosby and Weller were killed on 7th August 1942 when 150 Squadron Wellington X3698 crashed at Great Heck.
Jack Fox was probably John Elston Fox RAFVR (1006355) and if correct then he was killed on 10th July 1944 at Bourn when he left a damaged 105 Squadron Mosquito ML919 too soon and was struck by a still rotating propeller. He is buried at Roundhay Churchyard, Leeds, Yorkshire. He had received a commission and was awarded the DFC for service with 105 Squadron.