Wellington HE554 at Topcliffe airfield.
This 424 Squadron aircraft took off from Topcliffe at 01.30hrs on 14th March 1943 to undertake a mine laying operational flight to the waters of the Nectarine region off the Frisian Islands. The crew released their two mines from 950ft at 03.44hrs and returned to base. At 05.41hrs the aircraft crashed on landing at Topcliffe.
Pilot - P/O George Charles Stewart Bain RCAF.
Navigator - Sgt E H Brown.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt A R/H Wilson.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J Miller.
Air Gunner - Sgt W D Blue.
George Bain's life is well documented on the internet. He was born in 1920 in Toronto and after leaving school he started working as a reporter for the Toronto Telegram newspaper but left this job to enlist into the RCAF in 1940. He returned to Canada in 1944 and joined the Toronto Globe and Main in 1945 rising to be one of Canada's most well known columnists over the next thirty years. He died in May 2006.
Wellington HE554 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in February 1943. The aircraft was received by 45 Mu on 4th February 1943 and was taken on charge by 424 Squadron at Topcliffe on 3rd March 1943. As a result of the damage sustained on 14th March 1943 Cat.B/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was taken away to be repaired in the works factory at Sywell. The aircraft was taken on charge by 84 O.T.U. on 23rd September 1943 and was then transferred to 17 O.T.U. at Silverstone on 5th October 1943. On 17th January 1945 it was flown to 8 MU and placed in store pending disposal. It was struck off charge on 11th March 1948.