On the night of 26th / 27th April 1942 three 460 Squadron aircraft were tasked with Ops to Rostock, this aircraft bombed the target but on the return flight the aircraft was
attacked by a Messerschmitt Me110 on a number of occasions over Sylt and severely damaged. During the first attack the rear gunner and second pilot were injured. Due to the rear
gunner's injuries he was unable to communicate with the pilot to inform him that it was an enemy aircraft that was attacking them, the pilot had assumed the damage to have been
caused by flak and took evasive action. The enemy aircraft made three further attacks, the Wellinton pilot took further evasive action and the enemy aircraft was not seen again.
During the engagement the Wellington's second pilot was injured in the face and thigh and the rear gunner was seriously injured. The pilot was able to land the aircraft at
Breighton at 06.14hrs and both injured men were admitted to York Military Hospital. The second pilot was later transferred to RAF Hospital Rauceby on 4th May 1942.
460 Squadron ORB gives extra information regarding this incident, on 14th May 1942 the Prime Minister and Dr.H V Evatt, Australian Minister for External Affairs, talked
with the pilot of Z1325, the ORB makes reference to the Wellington having sustained damage to the tail plane and fuselage with the rear turret being put out of action. The
flaps and air-speed indicator were rendered useless and the tyres of the main wheels were also holed.
Pilot - Sgt David Gordon Kitchen RAAF (400805), of Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Second Pilot - Sgt Alan Lipson Moyle RAAF (407534), of Erindale, South Australia. Injured.
Navigator - Sgt Lionel Heyman James RAAF (403109), of Haymarket, New South Wales, Australia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Denis John Whelan Watson RAFVR (1281960).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt D Tinkler RAFVR (1006942).
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt D A Black RCAF (R/64718). Seriously injured.
Wellington Z1325 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden, Chester and was awaiting collection in October 1941. On 16th October 1941 it was received by 46 MU at Lossiemouth and on 24th October 1941 it was flown to 42 SLG. It returned to 46 MU on 25th November 1941 and was taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Molesworth on 13th December 1941. 460 Squadron moved to Breighton on 4th January 1942. This aircraft was actually the only aircraft to make the trip between the airfields on that date because the weather closed in. Others then flew over on the following day. As a result of the battle damage sustained on 27th April 1942 minor Cat.B/FB damage was the assessment and it was taken away for a repair at the Wellington repair facility at Sywell. Once repaired it was received by 23 MU on 1st July 1942 and was then taken on charge by 142 Squadron at Grimsby on 31st August 1942. It was transferred to 18 O.T.U. at Bramcote on 25th September 1942. On 8th November 1942 it crashed on a night navigation exercise near Hinckley, Leicestershire and Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded. The aircraft was struck off charge on 20th November 1942.
On the night of 19th / 20th June 1942 Sgt's Kitchen, James and Watson were flying on Ops to Emden in Wellington Z1486, the aircraft failed to return. Sgt Kitchen and Sgt James (both twenty six
years old) and Sgt Watson were buried in Sage War Cemetery. It was later found that the aircraft had crashed onto a sandbank near Rysum, seven miles from the Target area.
David Kitchen was born on 24th March 1916 in Prahran, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne.
Lionel James was born on 20th January 1916 in Sydney and enlisted there.
Alan Moyle was born on 6th November 1921 in Woodville, South Australia. He enlisted on 9th November 1940 in Adelaide. After training in Canada he was awarded his Wings on 2nd May 1941 and on arrival in the UK he begun training with 27 OTU on 23rd September 1941 and was posted to 460 Squadron on 23rd February 1942. After recovering from his injuries sustained in the incident detailed above he returned to 460 Squadron. On 13th July 1942 Sgt Moyle was flying as captain of Wellington Z1328 on a mine laying flight in the Nectarines region. His aircraft failed to return and no trace was ever found of any of his then crew. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt Moyle was twenty years old.
On the 8th / 9th June 1942 Sgt Tinkler was flying in Wellington Z1412 on Ops to Essen, the aircraft was damaged by enemy action and he became a PoW.
Back to monthly table.