Operation: Training

Date: 03/04th August 1943 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 27 OTU (Operational Training Unit)

Type: Wellington X

Serial: HE703

Base: RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire

Location: Walton Park, Sale, England.

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Matthews AUS/408859 RAAF Age 26. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Edward Sargent Newell AUS/410253 RAAF Age 21. Survived, injured (1)

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Edward Claude Thompson AUS/415909 RAAF Age 21. Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Clive Prosdocimi Luther AUS/424546 RAAF Age 28. Survived, injured  (3)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. K. Forbes AUS/412261 RAAF Survived, injured

Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Emanuel McCarthy 1836186 RAFVR Survived, injured  (4)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Lichfield, Staffordshire on a night navigation exercise when the front oil retainer on the port engine ran dry and the engine failed. Very soon afterwards at around 23.50 hrs the other engine lost power  and the aircraft had to force land in the allotments on Warton Road, Sale. The aircraft then caught fire.

                    

Left: Fl/Sgt. Edward Claude Thompson (courtesy of Denise Thompson and relatives)

(1) Fl/Sgt. Newell was killed on the 18th March 1944 whilst serving with 466 Squadron. Halifax III LV827 on an operation to Frankfurt, pilot 30 year old P/O. Malcolm D. Watson RAAF killed with all 7 crew.

(2) The family of Fl/Sgt. Thompson also lost his younger brother, 20 year old Fl/Sgt. Eric M. Thompson on 28th April 1944.

(3) P/O. Luther killed on the 16th December whilst with 7 Squadron. Lancaster III JB656 MG-D Flown by 23 year old F/O. Francis W. Rush RAAF killed with 5 other crew with 1 evading capture.

(4) Sgt. McCarthy also killed, but on return from an operation to Stuttgart, Lancaster III ND419 flown by 23 year old F/O. Francis A. Cleveland RAAF crashed into trees during terrible blizzard conditions South of Grantham, Lincolnshire killing all 7 crew.

                   

                   

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Matthews. Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Sec A. Grave 371. Son of Frederick James Matthews and Minnie Matthew, husband of Elsie Catherine Matthews of Albury, New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Edward Claude Thompson. Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Sec A. Grave 458. Son of Claude and Maude Australia Thompson of Narrogin, Western Australia.

Crew killed ot a later date:

Fl/Sgt. Edward Sargent Newell. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.H.8. Son of Colonel Francis Sargent Newell and Alice Newell, of South Yarra, Victoria, Australia.

P/O. Clive Prosdocimi Luther. Oterleek (Stompetoren) Churchyard. Grave I. Son of Charles Royes Luther and Virginia Luther, husband of Elaine Dora Luther, of Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt. John Emanuel McCarthy. Templeton Congregational Chapel Cemetery. Row 6, Grave 10. Son of Patrick and Mary McCarthy, husband of Gladys Elizabeth McCarthy, of Narberth, Australia.

Researched for Relatives of the crew with information supplied by Denise Thompson,  Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses' Vol's. 4, 5 and 7, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Further information maybe obtained from a private publication named 'The Walton Park Wimpy' by emailing 'Trafford War Dead'.