Accident Vickers Wellington Mk IA N2889, Monday 18 December 1939
ASN logo
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:Monday 18 December 1939
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic well model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Vickers Wellington Mk IA
Owner/operator:37 Sqn RAF
Registration: N2889
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:North Sea 10 km north of Borkum Island -   Germany
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Wellington N2889 T/o at 09:48 hrs from RAF Feltwell. Shot down by Me 110 during raid on Wilhelmshaven. Broke up in the air and crashed into the sea of Borkum following a sustained attack by Lt. Helmut Lent 1/ZG76 - 10km north of Borkum. 18.12.1939
12 out of 22 Wellingtons shot down on this mission.
Crew: missing
Sgt Maurice William BARRINGTON-TAYLOR (516752) RAF - MIA
AC 1George Warne GEDDES (539328) RAF - POW/DOW
AC 1 Peter Thomas JONES (540554) RAF - MIA
F/O Oliver John Trevor LEWIS (40054) RAAF - MIA
P/O Roderick Menzie ROSS (41070) RAF - MIA

George Warne GEDDES was alive when found, but he died of his wound. He is burried at Sage War Cemetery.

The other crewmembers are commemorated at Runnymede Memorial; panel 1: LEWIS, BARRINGTON-TAYLOR and ROSS. Panel 3: JONES.

Sources:

1.Air Britain: RAF Aircraft L1000 - N9999, published 1991
2.ORB
3.Bomber Command Losses (1939-1940) WR Chorley, page 26
4.CWGC

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Jan-2012 10:53 Uli Elch Added
01-Jul-2014 06:15 RossGmann Updated [Narrative, ]
29-Mar-2019 13:45 Anon. Updated [Narrative, ]
03-Jan-2021 12:44 Glog Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Operator, ]
12-Jul-2025 08:06 MMR Updated [Source, Narrative, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2025 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org