Wellington Z1722 at Dalton airfield.

On 3rd January 1943 this 428 Squadron aircraft was landing at Dalton airfield at 19.05hrs when a service lorry crossed the runway in front of it. The starboard wing and engine struck the lorry and two of its four occupants were killed while two others (driver and further passenger) sustained injuries.

Groundcrew - AC2 Leonard Charles Keat RAFVR (1418911), aged 20. Buried St.Gluvias Church Cemetery, Penryn, Cornwall.

Groundcrew - AC2 John Morrow RAFVR (1085990), aged 38. Buried Carleton Cemetery, Blackpool, Lancashire.

Pilot - F/O William Reid Suggitt RCAF (J/15131). Uninjured.

Lorry occupant - Sgt G E J Curtis. Injured.

1 other in lorry (driver or passenger) - Name unknown. Injured.

Wellington Z1722 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester and was awaiting collection in April 1942. It was received by 12 MU on 10th May 1942 and over the next few months passed between them and 22 MU twice. It was eventually taken on charge by 428 Squadron at Dalton on 1st December 1942 not long after they had formed on 7th November 1942. As a result of the incident on 3rd January 1943 minor Cat.A/FA damage was the initial damage asssessment but it was upgraded to Cat.B/FA and was taken away to be repaired in works by Vickers at Weybridge. After repair it passed to 8 MU on 8th April 1943 and was then taken on charge by 17 OTU at Silverstone on 11th June 1943 where it remained until it was placed in MU storage on 28th December 1944 at 8 MU. It was struck off charge on 7th August 1945.
William Suggitt was born in Toronto, Ontario in December 1920. He enlisted into the RCAF in October 1940 in Toronto and after basic training in Canada he was posted overseas in April 1941. On arrival in England he trained at 22 OTU before posting to 405 Squadron on 23rd July 1941. He was posted to 104 Squadron on 4th December 1941 and then to 158 Squadron when it formed out of what was left of 104 Squadron on 14th February 1942. He completed his first Tour in April 1942 and was then posted to 26 OTU to instruct. In December 1942 he was posted to 428 Squadron. He converted to flying Halifaxes at 1659 HCU at Topcliffe in June 1943 and returned to 428 Squadron. He was awarded the DFC for service with 428 Squadron, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. The citation for his DFC reads.."This officer has a fine operational record which has included sorties to all the most heavily defended centres in Germany and enemy occupied territory. He has recently taken part in raids on the Ruhr Valley including Essen and Duisburg and on the U-Boat bases of North-West Germany and France. Despite intense anti-aircraft opposition, even when the bomber has been hit by shrapnel from very close shell bursts, he has always pressed home his attacks with the utmost determination. He is an ideal operational captain whose example has been an inspiration to all other pilots in the squadron." After completing a tour with 428 Squadron he was assessed by his commanding officer of No.6 Group RCAF as being "an exceptional operational pilot". In October 1943 he was posted to 617 Squadron and converted to flying Lancasters. On 13th February 1944 he was seriously injured in the crash of Lancaster DV382 near Upwaltham, West Sussex and died two days later. S/Ldr Suggitt was 23 years old and is buried in Chichester Cemetery, Sussex. He is now commemorated by a memorial in the parish church near to where the Lancaster crashed.
One other possible casualty to this incident at Dalton in January 1943 could be Lt William James Taylor (149077), Gordon Highlanders. Cremated Arnos Vale, Bristol, Gloucestershire but his death was registered in the Northallerton district which would fit for him being taken to the Friarage Hospital had he been seriously injured. The Friarage only opened on 1st January 1943 as a military hospital.

Any casualty was not John Agar Wilson RAF, he died on 2nd January 1943 but at Rose Cottage, High Castleton on the North Yorkshire Moors. His name is credited as being involved in the crash of Wellington Z1722 in other references to the incident on the internet.

Back to monthly table.