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26 O.T.U. Cenotaph

Remembrance Day Is Everyday

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic W5704 -S

F/O W R H Whitting R.A.F (Killed)

Sgt J H G Garrick R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt J M Hall R.N.Z.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt R C Williams R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt A N Young R.N.Z.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 2345 from RAF Graveley. Shot down circa 0130 by, it is thought, Hptm Werner Streib, I./NJG1 and crashing at Middelberg (Noord Brabant), 16 Km West of Eindhoven, Holland, where all are buried in the Woensel General Cemetery. Both R.N.Z.A.F. crew members had been attached from 27 O.T.U.

Left: Allen Norman Young R.N.Z.A.F. Right: James Milton Hall R.N.Z.A.F. two of the five crew lost on Wellington Ic W5704 - S.

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV707 -D

F/S E J Ford DFM R.A.F. (Killed)

P/O D C August R.A.F. (Killed)

W/O D W Caswell R.A.F. (POW)

F/S F F Barker DFM R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S J Thompson R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 2315hrs from Graveley. Thought to have fallen victim to Lt Niklas, 6/NJG1, crashing in the vicinity of Venlo (Limburg) Holland, where those that died have been interned at Jonkerbos War Cemetery. F/S Ford and F/S Barker gained their DFM's on the 24th of October and 2nd of September 1941 respectively, while serving with 9 Squadron in the case of the former and 103 Squadron for the latter. W/O Caswell was taken into captivity with quite severe burns and wounds caused by cannon shell splinters.

The graves of the four airmen killed on Wellington Ic DV707 -D Buried at Jonkerbos War Cemetery Holland. (Grave photos curtesy of Des Pilippet and Michel Beckers).

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV740 EU-O

W/O F G Hillyer R.A.F. (POW)

Sgt D H Fletcher R.A.F. (Killed)

P/O A C White R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt D S B Vincent R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt H L Smith R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off at 2305hrs from Graveley. May have fallen victim to the guns of Oblt Patuschka, 4/NJG2, crashing at Alem in the Province of Gelderland, 14 km West-North-West of Oss (Noord Brabant), Holland. Those who died are buried in Uden War Cemetery.

The graves of P/O A C White, Sgt H L Smith, Sgt D H Fletcher and Sgt D S B Vincent at Uden War Cemetery.

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV709 -F

Sgt J J Dixson R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt Scroggie R.C.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt Green R.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt Broadhurst R.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt B B Camlin R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 0019hrs from Graveley. Crashed 0435hrs while making an emergency landing in a field near Soham Flower Mill, some thirteen miles North East of Cambridge, Sgt Dickson and Sgt Camlin where buried in Beck Row St John Churchyard at Mildenhall, while those who were extracted alive, from the overturned bomber were taken to R.A.F. Hospital Ely.

31.05.1942

Formed on 15th January 1942 at Wing Buckinghamshire, 26 O.T.U. had enjoyed a remarkable good run of fortune until this particular night. Akin to all the training establishments, 26 O.T.U. had fielded a mixture of screened and all pupil crews, mustering twenty in total. On this night 30th/31st the unit suffer its first losses when four of its Wellington aircraft failed to return, with 15 airmen killed, 3 injured and 2 interned as Prisoners Of War.


1st/2nd June 1942. Op= Essen Wellington Ic HX375 –X

Sgt K Edmonds R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S K B Utman R.C.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt B H Edye R.A.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt G Horner R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S R I Derry R.C.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 2259hrs from Graveley carrying 600 gallons of fuel and armed with a 500lb GP bomb, 6 SBC, each holding 90 x 4lb incendiaries. Crashed circa 0130hrs near Antwerp, where all are now buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery.


Sergeant Pilot Kenneth Edmonds R.A.F.V.R.

14th June 1942. Training. Wellington Ic DV710.

Sgt S Glover
Took-off from Cheddington for circuits and landings. Two hours into the exercise, Sgt Glover took-off for yet another circuit, only to find the Wellington was reluctant to climb. Landing alongside the flare path, the undercarriage gave way and not long after a fire broke out.

25th/26th June 1942. Op= Bremen Wellington Ic DV721. -N

W/O C J Stirling DFM R.N.Z.A.F. (Killed)

F/S H H Jordan R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S A R Watkins R.A.F. (Killed)

F/O A Sharples R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S D H Baddeley R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off at 2240hrs from Wing armed with 1 x 500lb GP (General Purpose) bomb and 6 SBC (Small Bomb Containers) containing 90 x 4lb incendiaries. Aircraft failed to return. All crew lie in Kiel War Cemetery. Details of the DFM held by W/O Stirling R.N.Z.A.F, who had served previously with 150 Squadron, were published in the London Gazette the day he died, 26th June. His tail gunner, F/S Baddeley had participated in the Battle of Britain, having been a member of 25 Squadron, equipped with Blenheim I’s.

Colin John Stirling and his crew lie together in Kiel War Cemetery (Cemetery photo Bob Boston)

5th August 1942. Training. Wellington Ic X9657

P/O G F Pentony R.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt G R Phipps R.C.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off at 2045hrs from Wing for a night navigation sortie. During the flight, a conrod broke up inside the starboard engine, damaging the pistons of Nos. 5, 6 and 7 cylinders. Almost immediately the motor burst into flames and at around 2330hrs and the order to abandon was given, leaving the bomber to crash at Burton Coggles, 7 miles South-South-East of Grantham, Lincolnshire. Sgt Phips an air gunner, is buried in Grantham Cemetery.

The grave of Sgt George Robert Phipps, photographed shortly after his burial in August 1942.

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