Wellington Z8526 damaged by flak, landed at Driffield airfield.
On 8th / 9th May 1942 this aircraft was one of a number of 158 Squadron Wellingtons that were tasked with flying operational flights to bomb the Heinkel aircraft factory at Warnemunde. This aircraft took off from Driffield at 22.36hrs and released their bomb load from low level, at just 800 feet at 01.59hrs. The aircraft sustained minor flak damage, listed in the squadron records as just holed fabric. The crew safely returned to Driffield and landed at 05.31hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Ralph Connors O'Brien RCAF (R/73008).
Second Pilot - Sgt Winch.
Observer - P/O Leonard John Fairbairn RNZAF (401492).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Alfred Schofield RAFVR (1166182).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Richard Henry Creed Seymour RAFVR (1166511).
Air Gunner - P/O Watkins (Possibly P/O Kenneth Bernard Watkins RAFVR (106145)).
Ralph O'Brien was born on 13th August 1917 in Beaver Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada and was the son of Edmund Ralph and Sarah Jane O'Brien. He was a student when he enlisted for RCAF service on 11th September 1940. After training in Canada he arrived in the UK in July 1941 and over the coming months had trained at 22 OTU before posting to 104 Squadron on 15th October 1941. He later received a commission but was killed flying the 1000 Bomber Raid on Cologne in Wellington W5392 on 30th / 31st May 1942 when his aircraft suffered from severe icing and was shot down by a night fighter with the loss of the whole crew. He was twenty four years old and is now buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Leonard Seymour was killed flying with 158 Squadron on 17th November 1942 flying in Halifax W7863 on Ops to Turin when the aircraft crashed in France. He was thirty years old and is buried at Consigny Communal Cemetery, France.
Sgt Seymour (posted in to 158 Squadron from 77 Squadron) and Sgt Schofield (posted in to 158 Squadron from 104 Squadron) were killed on 20th July 1942 while flying in 158 Squadron Halifax W1162. Sgt Seymour is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial while Sgt Schofield is buried in Sage War Cemetery.
Kenneth Watkins received a commission on 26th August 1941. He was killed flying with 156 Squadron on 3rd September 1943 when Lancaster JA915 crashed near Diss, Norfolk on a training flight with the loss of all on board the aircraft. F/Lt Watkins is buried in Cambridge City Cemetery.
Wellington Z8526 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was received by 23 MU on 18th December 1941. It was taken on charge by 104 Squadron on 28th January 1942 and was then transferred to the newly formed 158 Squadron the following month. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage on 11th March 1942. The squadron records make no mention of any damage occurring. They used it operationally on the night of 10th / 11th March 1942 which would seem to be when the damage happened. The damage would have seen it repaired on site and returned to 158 Squadron use. The damage sustained on 9th May 1942 is not listed on the aircraft's AM Form 78 so was probably minor Cat.A/FB and would have been repaired on site by ground crew at Driffield. On 23rd June 1942 it was transferred to 12 Squadron at Binbrook soon after 158 Squadron moved to Eastmoor and began conversion to the Halifax. On 27th July 1942 it was being flown on an operational flight to Hamburg when it caught fire on landing at Binbrook when incendiary bombs fell out. The aircraft was badly damaged and Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage was the assessment. The aircraft was struck off charge on 9th August 1942.