Wellington Z1599 damaged by flak, returned to Dishforth airfield.
During the evening of 21st January 1943 the crew of this 426 Squadron aircraft were tasked with a mine laying flight around the Frisian Islands, they left base,
dropped their load but were hit by flak a number of times. The aircraft sustained damage to the rear turret and fuselage and the hydraulics were also
knocked out of action. The crew were able to make the safe return to base and landed at Dishforth before midnight. The crew escaped injury.
Pilot - Sgt George Raymond Baker RCAF (R/109386), of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.
Navigator - Sgt Dexter Brand Coons RCAF (R/92573), of Stavely, Alberta, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Max Zeavin RCAF (R/111112), of Winnipeg, Canada.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Lawrence Murphy RCAF (R/76910), of St.Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Parker McLachlan RCAF (R/94736), wife of Rumsey, Alberta, Canada.
? - Sgt George Walen RCAF (R/107124), of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
The first five named above were flying operationally on 9th / 10th March 1943 when Wellington X3284 failed to return from a mine laying flight. They are all
commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
F/Sgt George Walen was also recorded as missing as a result of failing to return from Ops in Wellington BK401 on 5th March 1943. He too is commemorated on the
Runnymede Memorial.
Wellington Z1599 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden. On 10th March 1942 it was received by 9 MU where it was placed in store. On 5th October 1943 it was received by 48 MU and was then taken on charge by 419 Squadron at Croft on 24th October 1942. In November 1942 419 Squadron ceased operating Wellington MkIII's so this aircraft was transferred to 426 Squadron at Dishforth on 6th November 1942. On 21st January 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage resulted following this flak incident and it was repaired on site. It was returned to 426 Squadron on 13th February 1943. On 27th February 1943 it was lost on Ops to Cologne. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off. The aircraft crashed in Holland with five of the six crew being killed and one being made a PoW.