Wellington HE201 damaged by enemy aircraft, returned to Burn airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 the crew of this 431 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart and took off from Burn at 21.10hrs. After releasing their bomb load they were attacked by two Me110 fighters. The first was seen on the starboard side by the wireless operator who was in the astrodome and the Wellington turned to attack the Me110, the rear gunner fired a short burst at it which caused it to break away and pass underneath them. It then made two attacks on the Wellington during evasive action the pilot was taking. The rear gunner returned fire again firstly with a short burst with hits seen in the nose of the aircraft, then a longer burst that caused the Me110 to explode in a flash that temporarily blinded the rear gunner and wireless operator. During this evasive action a parachute fell from it's stowage and caused the intercom lead to the rear turret to pull out. The wireless operator left the astrodome to fix the problem and was replaced in the astrodome by the bomb aimer. Before the intercom problem was fixed a second Me110 made an attack on the Wellington. The rear gunner used signalled to the pilot to take evasive action by a light. The Wellington made repeated dives to try and shake off the attacking aircraft and was down to around 300 feet when, after the Me110 failed to hit the Wellington in an attack the Wellington's rear gunner again opened fire and strikes were seen to hit the starboard engine. It passed over the Wellington with flames coming from the engine nacelle, was seen to turn on it's back and it disappeared behind trees presumed crashed. The Wellington was slightly damaged in the combat in the port wing. The Wellington is believed to have returned England safely and land at base of Burn airfield near Selby at 05.10hrs.
Pilot - Sgt John Morton RAFVR (1095060).
Navigator - Sgt Douglas Findlay Rands RAFVR (1335271).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Robert Holmes RAFVR (1477234).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Sabathu Milner RAFVR (1292164).
Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas Bell RAFVR (1085409).
Wellington HE201 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 431 Squadron at Burn on 13th December 1942. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that on 2nd February 1943 it received Cat.Ac/FA damage that was repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge, how this damage occurred is not yet known. On 26th February 1943 it was returned to 431 Squadron charge. On 4th March 1943 it received a further repair on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge, no damage assessment was logged so it may not have been related to a further flying mishap. The aircraft was back flying operationally by 12th March 1943. It sustained minor flak damage on 15th April 1943 that saw a Cat.A/FB damage assessment which was repaired on site. The aircraft was returned to 431 Squadron charge on 28th May 1943. On 16th July 1943 it was transferred to 82 O.T.U. at Ossington. On 4th August 1943 it received a repair on site by Vickers from Weybridge for unspecified reasons, almost certainly not damage through a flying accident. On 12th October 1943 it suffered an engine failure soon after taking off from Gamston, the pilot attempted to crash land but flew into trees between Haughton Chapel and Bevercotes, 5 miles from Retford. Three of the crew died while four sustained injuries. The aircraft was struck off charge on 24th October 1943. with Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage being the damage assessment.
This crew joined 431 Squadron when it formed and flew the first operational flight with the squadron on 2nd March 1943. All of the above survived the crash landing at Burn of the badly damaged 431 Squadron Wellington HE199 on return from Ops on 3rd March 1943. In this earlier incident Sgt Bell had also returned fire into an attacking Junkers Ju88. The first four named above converted from Wellingtons to Halifaxes and continued to serve with 431 Squadron until the night of 25th / 26th November 1943 they were flying in Halifax LK973. On this night they were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt but the aircraft failed to return. All are all buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. John Morton had received a commission on 24th September 1943.
I have not yet traced Sgt Bell's postings later in the war, one would generally expect him to have received some sort of award for his actions in the air in saving his aircraft and crew but none appears to have been forthcoming.