Wellington Z1284 at Breighton airfield.
On the night of 5th February 1942 the crew on this 460 Squadron aircraft were to undertake a night-flying program, the aircraft collided with an "obstruction" on the airfield which damaged the port propeller and port bomb door. A landing was made on the airfield and there were no casualties reported.
Pilot - Sgt Patrick John Denis Cooney RNZAF (403951), of Gore, Southland, New Zealand.
Wellington Z1284 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in September 1941. It was initially placed in storage with 44 MU on 21st September 1941. 460 Squadron took the aircraft on charge while based at Molesworth on 30th November 1941 soon after the unit formed, it was their very first aircraft to arrive and it moved with them to Breighton on 4th January 1942. As a result of the mishap on 5th February 1942 the damage was repaired on site with minor Cat.Ac/FA damage being the damage assessment. The aircraft was slightly damaged by flak on the night of 26th / 27th July 1942 which was repaired on site. It's AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage on 21st August 1942 but was not returned to 460 Squadron use until 5th September 1942. There is nothing in the squadron records to sugegst how this occurred.
It then sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage as a result of a mishap on 10th September 1942 when the tail wheel collapsed and another repair was made on site. On an unknown date later in 1942 it was transferred to 300 Squadron at Ingham and later served with 305 Squadron at Hemswell on 3rd April 1943. The aircraft was found to be in need of a repair in the works factory at Sywell by the end of April 1943. Once servicable it was received by 23 MU on 19th July 1943 and was then taken on charge by 104 (Transport) O.T.U. at Nutts Corner on 13th October 1943 where it served until 2nd December 1943. After this it required further work to be carried out to make it servicable so was taken to the Vickers factory at Weybridge on 2nd December 1943. During this work it was found to be not worthy of repair and was written off on 25th January 1944, being struck off charge on 1st February 1944.
F/Sgt Cooney was killed flying with 460 Squadron on 13th March 1942, he is buried in St.Joris Communal Cemetery, Belgium. He was twenty two years old. The photograph of
his gravestone was found on a webforum, posted by Rob/"Ramacal". It is likely that the crew with him on the night of 5th February 1942 were the same as were killed with him in
Wellington Z1251 on Ops to Dunkirk. He initially flew with 142 Squadron, arriving on 21st August 1941 and being posted away on 3rd December 1941.
The crew listed below were with him on the night he lost his life, it is likely that many, or all, were with him when the minor mishap occurred at Breighton airfield.
Second Pilot - Sgt John Sivyer Turnock RAAF (404688), of Tweed River, New South Wales, Australia.
Observer - Sgt Ian Eric Hart RAAF (400413), of Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Norman Winter RAFVR (989226), of Thornton, Bradford, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Jack Woodward RAFVR (1359686).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Allan Pascoe RAFVR (1380051), of Sedgley, Staffordshire.
