Date & Time:
May 28, 1943 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
MS481
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dalton - Dalton
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dalton at 2301LT on May 27 on an operation to Essen. The starboard engine failed at 0139LT while flying in the target area at 15,000 feet. At 0230LT, the Wellington was hit by the German Flak off the island of Terschelling and though the flight was continued, at 0415LT the port motor began to falter and the bomber was ditched at 0430LT off the fishing port of Grimsby. A crew drowned after the rear turret broke off and sank. All four other crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt W. Lachman, pilot,
Sgt J. C. E. Jette,
Sgt R. Askew,
Sgt E. R. Marchand,
Sgt Arthur Francis O'Rourke, air gunner. †
Crew:
Sgt W. Lachman, pilot,
Sgt J. C. E. Jette,
Sgt R. Askew,
Sgt E. R. Marchand,
Sgt Arthur Francis O'Rourke, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
