On the night of 28th / 29th April 1942 the crew of this 158 Squadron were to have flown an operational flight to bomb Kiel, they took off from Driffield at 22.09hrs but upon climbing to 1,500 feet the port engine seized up. The aircraft began to loose height and the hydraulic system did not function so the bomb doors were opened by the hand pump and the bomb load was jettisoned off the Yorkshire coast, having continued to loose further height the crew then re-joined the circuit to go in to land at Driffield and with the undercarriage lowered using the hand pump they safely landed at 22.33hrs. The aircraft was deemed to have been slightly damaged as a result of these events.
Pilot - Sgt Valentine George James Agutter RAFVR (1376899).
Second Pilot - Sgt Richard David Roberts RAFVR (1176875).
Navigator - Sgt David Julian Serpell RAAF (400507).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Gilbert Vincent Slide RAFVR (1166500).
Air Gunner - P/O John William Parker Curtis RAFVR (116949).
Air Gunner - Sgt J Martin RAFVR (1377597).
Wellington Z8528 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was received by 23 MU on 24th December 1941. It was taken on charge by 104 Squadron on 26th January 1942 and was transferred to 158 Squadron at Driffield when they formed the following month. As a result of the incident on 28th April 1942 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment. It would have been repaired on site and returned to 158 Squadron. The aircraft's AM Form 78 does not mention the incident. The aircraft was transferred to 305 Squadron at Lindholme on 23rd May 1942 and was coded "SM-R". On 26th June 1942 both engines cut on return from an operational flight to Bremen and it was ditched off Great Yarmouth. Sadly one of the then crew was killed while four were rescued. The aircraft was struck off charge on 20th June 1942.
Valentine Agutter was born in Bethnal Green, London in 1912. He received his commission to the rank of P/O (emergency) on 1st May 1942. He rose to the rank of F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st November 1942. He was awarded the DFC for service with 158 Squadron on 6th November 1942 and was in the rank of Acting F/Lt at the time. The citation for this award reads.. "F/Lt Agutter has made many sorties over enemy territory, taking part in such successful raids as those on Lubeck, Rostock, Cologne, Hamburg and Dusseldorf, and producing some excellent photographs. On two occasions, by his skill and ability, he has brought a damaged aircraft safely back to base." He rose to F/Lt (war subs) on 8th December 1943. As Acting S/Ldr he was Mentioned in Despatches on 14th January 1944 and again for services to 1668 HCU on 1st January 1946. he had married in the Edmonton area of Middlesex in 1941 and married again Wood Green, Middlesex in 1954. It is possible that he died in Enfield, Middlesex in 1974.
David Serpell was born in Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 20th April 1921. He enlisted into the RAAF on 14th September 1940 in Melbourne and after completing his initial training and further training in Canada he arrived in the UK and trained at 22 OTU from 4th August 1941 to 15th October 1941. After completing this training he was posted to 104 Squadron on 15th October 1941, part of 104 Squadron later became 158 Squadron and he was posted to this unit on his commission on 15th May 1942. After converting to Halifax's with 158 Squadron Conversion Unit his spell with 158 Squadron there after was brief as he was posted to 2 School of Air Navigation on 31st October 1942 and then on to the Central Navigation School on 21st February 1943. He was admitted to hospital while at this training unit for an unknown reason. He had received his commission on 15th May 1942 and rose to F/O on 15th November 1942 and then to F/Lt on 15th May 1944 but ended the War in Australia after leaving the UK by the end of 1943. He was later posted to 3 OTU on 30th April 1945 and then to 11 Squadron on 24th August 1945 and later to 33 Squadron with whom he flew before receiving his discharge in July 1946.
Gilbert Slide was born in the Aston area of Warwickshire in 1910. P/O Slide was the sole survivor from Halifax W7863 on 17th November 1942 when the aircraft crashed in France after being shot down by Hpt Heinrich Wohlers. He became a PoW. The Luftwaffe pilot had, by the end of February 1944, claimed twenty nine Allied aircraft as destroyed. Gilbert Slide had received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 1st May 1942. He rose to the rank of F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st November 1942 and then to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st May 1944. He remained in the RAF Post-War and relinquished his commission on 4th May 1955, retaining his rank of F/Lt. He died in the Bromsgrove area of Worcestershire in 2003.
John Curtis had earlier served with 104 Squadron. He received a commission on 16th February 1942 and was later awarded the DFC on 12th January 1943 and received a Mention in Despatches in 1945.
Richard Roberts had earlier served with 104 Squadron and was part of the group that formed 158 Squadron in February 1942. He was awarded an immediate DFM for service with 158 Squadron (Gazetted on 2nd April 1943) for his actions on the nigtt of 8th / 9th March 1943 flying Halifax "NP-D". The landing was made at Pocklington. "One night in March 1943, this airman captained an aircraft detailed to attack Nuremberg. Whilst some distance from the target, on the outward flight, one of the port engines failed. Despite this, Flight Sergeant Roberts continued his mission. Considerable height had been lost by the time the target was reached but, in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, this captain pressed home a vigorous attack. After the bombs were released the bomb doors jammed. The aircraft began to lose height but, some 15 minutes later. Flight Sergeant Roberts succeeded in getting the doors closed. Displaying superb airmanship he eventually flew the aircraft safely to base with three engines. This airman displayed great skill and determination throughout." He had already been granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th February 1943 so I do not know why he was awarded a DFM and not a DFC. He was sadly killed just days later on 28th April 1943 when Halifax HR773 failed to return from a mine-laying flight. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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