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| Date: | Wednesday 3 June 1942 |
| Time: | 02:40 |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 460 Sqn RAAF |
| Registration: | Z1394 |
| MSN: | UV-Q |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Ellewoutsdijk, Zeeland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Breighton |
Takeoff at 23:26 hrs for a bombing operation to Essen, Germany.
The aircraft completed its operation and crashed at Ellewoutsdijk on its return to base.
Probably, the aircraft was attacked by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Dr. Horst Patuschka of the 7./NJG 2, who was flying a Ju 88 C-6 from Gilze-Rijen airfield. For certain is that the 'Wimpey' was engaged by the 32. Minensuchflottille of the Kriegsmarine.
Flight Officer J. Keene, Waldon and Flight Sergeant D. Butterworth were ejected and only Butterworth survived to become a PoW. The other 2 crew also died, Sergeant W. Kendall (RAF Reserve) and Flight Sergeant Reg Biglands. Keene, Waldon and Kendall are buried in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Bigland, not receovered is honoured on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey UK.
Crew:-
Pilot : Flying Officer John Walter Keene RAAF Aus/402742 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Sergeant William Kendall RAFVR 1309012 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant Reginald John Biglands RAAF Aus/407282 [Killed]
Sergeant Douglas Graham Butterworth RAAF Aus/404471 [PoW]
Flight Sergeant Ronald Frederick Waldon RAAF Aus/400894 [Killed]
Doug Butterworth grew up in Ayr, Queensland. Butterworth returned to Australia after the war. He died aged 90 in 2010. Another member of the crew, Graham Berry was ill on the night the crew was lost and was replaced by William Kendall. Berry later converted to Lancasters and was in the first 460 Squadron Lancaster crew to be lost on operations. Berry became a PoW and returned to Australia. He lives in Adelaide and turned 100 in 2016.
Sources:
Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part three
https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T1568&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
Google Maps
https://db.wingstovictory.nl/pdf/163-story.pdf
Source: Stuart Waldon (nephew of Ron Waldon)
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 02-Jan-2017 06:39 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 02-Jun-2017 09:28 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 08-Jan-2018 17:43 | Anon. | Updated [Cn, Operator, Departure airport, ] |
| 23-Oct-2018 19:26 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator, ] |
| 24-Apr-2020 15:41 | TigerTimon | Updated [Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 22-May-2024 14:41 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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