ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 52864
Last updated: 26 February 2021
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.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | 31-MAY-1942 |
| Time: | 01:14-17 |
| Type: | Vickers Wellington Mk Ic |
| Owner/operator: | 23 Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force (23 OTU RAF) |
| Registration: | N2851 |
| C/n / msn: | WE-F3 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Maasdamseweg road, 's-Gravendeel, Zuid-Holland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Stradishall |
Takeoff at 23:12 hrs for participation in the first 1000 bomber raid with target Köln, Germany.
The aircraft was shot down by a Ju 88C night fighter based at Gilze-Rijen airfield, belonging to Nachtjagdgeschwader 2.
Following post war enquiries and investigations it was established that the aircraft crashed near Gravendeel Zuid, Holland, and the remains of Sgt Johnston (RAF) and Sgt Broodbank (RAAF) were interred at Crooswijk Cemetery, Rotterdam. Also the severity of the explosion in the crash was such that it was found impossible to recover the remains of the other three missing crew members and in 1948 it was recorded that they had no known grave. Their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, UK:
Pilot: Sgt W R C Johnston RCAF
Observer: 403132 Sgt James Donn-Patterson RAAF
Wireless Operation/Air Gunner:401412 Sgt George Frederick Bolton
Wireless Operator?Air Gunner:404913 Sgt Michael Lotherington Glenton-Wright RAAF
Air Gunner:405256 Sgt Ronald Arthur Broodbank RAAF
Sources:
Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part three
https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T1543&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
Google Maps
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx
https://www.awm.gov.au//catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z017_1.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 27-Jun-2012 04:47 | RossGmann | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Nov-2012 04:36 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-May-2017 09:23 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 31-Dec-2017 22:54 | Red Dragon | Updated [Cn, Operator, Narrative] |
| 12-Jan-2018 21:07 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 24-Jan-2018 11:25 | XindelX | Updated [Operator, Destination airport] |
| 21-Apr-2020 07:45 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Apr-2020 14:02 | TigerTimon | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description