Wellington HZ256 collided with Wellington HE396 in the air, returned to Leconfield airfield.
On the night of 5th / 6th March 1943 the crew of this 466 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Essen when it collided in the air with another aircraft some thirty miles from the enemy coast while flying at 1000 feet. The crew of HZ256 later reported that they believed that they had collided with a Mosquito belonging to a target marking squadron which was flying at great speed and coming straight towards them. HZ256 was turned around, the bombs jettisoned and flown back to Leconfield where it made a safe landing at 23.00hrs. It was later believed that HZ256 collided with Wellington HE398 of 196 Squadron as this aircraft had also suffered damage in the same area at around the same time. Wellington HE398 also landed safely at Leconfield.
Pilot - Sgt Colin Foley Tozer RAAF (406585), of Mount Lawley, Western Australia.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Harold Ernest Jones RAFVR (1375844), of Walthamstow, Essex.
Navigator - F/Sgt Gordon Kenneth Young RCAF (R/90189), of Stratford, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Treacher RNZAF (412910).
Air Gunner - Sgt George Errington RAFVR (1531620).
On the night of 16th / 17th April 1943 Treacher's place in Tozer's crew was taken by another wireless operator and he, and Tozer's remaining crew were flying Wellington HE501 on Ops to Mannheim which failed to return. Tozer had flown fourteen operational flights by this date. They are buried at Seraincourt Churchyard, Ardennes, France. Colin Tozer was twenty one years old.
Gordon Young was born on 14th December 1920, he was twenty three years old when he died in April 1943 and was promoted to WO2 after his death. Sgt Jones was twenty one years old and Sgt Errington was just twenty.
Wellington HZ256 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate and was awaiting collection in January 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 466 Squadron at Leconfield as new on 16th Hfebruary 1943. As a result of the damage sustained on 5th March 1943 minor Cat.A/FB was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. The incident is not recorded on it's AM Form 78 which would suggest it was of a minor nature. On 15th April 1943 it was attacked by a night fighter on Ops to Stuttgart which fatally wounded the rear gunner and injured other members of the crew. The crew landed at Ford. Only minor Cat.B damage must have resulted as it was transported to Vickers factory at Weybridge for a repair in works. The repair was complete in July 1943 and it was received by 23 MU on 16th July 1943. On 17th July 1943 it sustained minor unspecified Cat.Ac/FA damage which was repaired on site. On 8th August 1943 it was taken on charge by 17 O.T.U. at Silverstone. On 29th November 1944 it left for 8.M.U. Just after V.E.Day it was finally issued to 105 (Transport) O.T.U. at Bramcote. On 17th August 1945 it suffered the undercarriage jam in the retracted position so it's then crew belly landed at Nuneaton. Cat.E/FA damage resulted and it was written off.
Colin Foley was born 10th September 1921 in Subiaco, Western Australia and enlisted in Perth on 3rd February 1941. After basic training and gaining his Wings on arriving in the UK he trained at 14 AFU (beginning 9th March 1942), 1518 BAT Flt (beginning 25th April 1942), 14 (P)AFU (beginning 5th May 1942), 13 OTU (beginning 23rd June 1942) and 14 OTU (beginning 25th August 1942) before posting to 466 Squadron on 28th November 1942. He flew his first operational flight as a second pilot with a 10 Squadron crew on 10th December 1942 and as a result was the first Australian 466 Squadron pilot to fly an operational flight. On 12th March 1943 all of the above were flying Wellington HZ271 on Ops to Essen when a flak burst struck the aircraft injuring Sgt Treacher in the shoulder and was later admitted to hospital. Colin Tozer received a commission to P/O on 15th March 1943.
Sgt Treacher was injured in the shoulder by shrapnel on Ops to Essen on 12th March 1943 in Wellington HZ271, he was posted as "non-effective sick" to SHQ Driffield by the end of March 1943. After this date nothing more is known about him. As it would turn out, his injury saved his life.