Operation: Training
Date: 11/12 August 1944 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: 30 OTU (Operational Training Unit)
Type: Wellington III
Serial: BK562
Code: BT:R
Base: RAF Seighford, Staffordshire
Location: Wilford, Nottingham.
Pilot: Fg.Off. P.W. Clifton RAFVR Age? Survived.
Pilot: WO. James William Jesse Butler 1282513 RAFVR Age 28 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Struthers Owens 1573888 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Denys Edward Townsend 1740042 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Seighford at 22:30 hours for a night cross-country exercise.
During the sortie and having flown into some cloud, the artificial horizon indicator failed. Within seconds the gyros began to spin and at 02:36 hours, by now partially abandoned, the aircraft crashed onto a tennis court at Wilford, close to the banks of the River Trent, in the south-east suburbs of Nottingham.
One airman landed in a garden and was taken in by the residents of Vernon Avenue who went to help. The three who died were taken to their home towns in England and Scotland.
Wellingtons of 30 OTU
Burial Details:
WO James William Jesse Butler. City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park. Square 287. Grave 111856. 16th May 1916 in Poplar, London. Son of James and Annie Norah Butler, of East Ham, London, England.
Sgt William Struthers Owen. St Ninians (Bannockburn) Parish Burial Ground. Compt. C.23. Grave 4. Born 13th June 1923 in Stirling, Scotland. Son Thomas and Margaret (née McGlaughlan) Owens, Glasgow, Scotland.
Above Memorial Frame for Sgt. Townsend (Courtesy Stephen Lewis)
Sgt Denys Edward Townsend. Brockleton (St Michael) Churchyard. South of Church. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Townsend, of Pudleston, Herefordshire, England.
Researched by Mike Harrison for Aircrew Remembered, December 2013. Thanks to Stephen Lewis for the image of Sgt Townsend. (Dec 2020). Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Dec 2020).
RS 09.12.2020 - Addition of image for Sgt. Townsend
KTY 12.2013 - Initial upload
RS 09.12.2020 - Addition of image for Sgt. Townsend
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed
by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior
permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2021
Last Modified: 09 December 2020, 13:54