Mission: Reconnaissance, Wilhemshaven, North Sea

Date: 18th December 1939 (Monday)

Unit: No. 9 Squadron

Type: Wellington 1A

Serial: N2941

Code: WS-?

Base: RAF Honington, Suffolk

Location: North Sea off the coast of Germany

Pilot: F/O. Douglas Bellamy Allison. 70769 RAF Age ? Killed (1)

2nd Pilot F/O. Donald Charles Ephraim Bailey. 39924 RAF Age 25. Killed (2)

Obs: Sgt. John Archibald Brister. 580848 RAF Age 19. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Joseph Buglasi Adamson Turnbull. 521968 RAF Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Cpl. Reginald Thomas Black. 567249 RAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: LAC. Albert George Goodenough. 533107 RAF Age ? Killed

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No. 9 Squadron Wellington's 1A

Wilhelmshaven November 1939

REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington N2941 took off at 09.00hrs with eight other 9. Squadron Wellingtons from R.A.F. Honington to carry out a reconnaissance in the Schilling/Jade Road and Wilhelmshaven to attack any battleships or cruisers. No. 9 Squadron Wellingtons flew in formation with 9 aircraft from both No. 149 Squadron and No. 37 Squadron. The formation were attacked South of Wilhelmshaven at 12.30hrs by approx. 30/40 enemy aircraft and the attack continued until reaching Wilhelmshaven when heavy A.A. fire was encountered from both shore based batteries and Navel craft. No suitable enemy battleships or cruisers were seen. After leaving the Wilhelmshaven area the aircraft were followed for some 70/80 miles to the German coast by the enemy fighters. A total of 12 aircraft were shot down on this reconnaissance mission. Situated on the island of Wangerooge the Germans had been tracking the bomber force for many miles using the experimental early warning Freya radar system and this information was passed on to the German fighters. Wellington N2941 may have been shot down or hit by flak and is thought to have been lost near Wilhelmshaven. Of the remaining No. 9 Squadron aircraft - Wellington N2964 and N2981 managed to land at their home base at 16.00hrs. Wellington N2873 was so badly damaged it was forced to land at RAF Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire at 17.30hrs two of the crew having been wounded and Wellington N2871 was forced to land at RAF Northcoates Fitties at 17.30hrs again due to the extensive damage to the aircraft. The total loss for No. 9 Squadron from the mission was 24 killed and four injured. No. 9 Squadron losses (N2939) (N2940) (N2872) (N2983)

Runnymede Memorial, Surrey

Burial details:

F/O. Douglas Bellamy Allison. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 1. No further information of next of kin as yet. (1) 1934 March 12th Douglas Bellamy Allison was granted a commission as Pilot Officer on probation in Class AA (ii) and was confirmed as a Pilot Officer as of March 12th 1935. 1935 September 12th P/O. Allison was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer. 1936 December 7th he transferred from Class AA to Class A. 1937 August 16th F/O. Allison relinquished his commission on appointment to a short service commission in the R.A.F. 1937 July 30th F/O. Allison awarded a Distinguished Pass from No. 8 Flying Training School, Montrose, Scotland, and on August 7th he was posted to No. 9 Squadron. 1938 February 7th F/O. Allison assumed duties as No. 9 Squadron Adjutant

F/O. Donald Charles Ephraim Bailey. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 1. Son of Ephraim and Alice Mildred Bailey of Wallington, Surrey. (2) 1937 July 12th Donald Charles Ephraim Bailey was granted a short service commission as Acting Pilot Officer and on the 17th July he was posted to No. 9 Flying Training School, Hullavington, Wiltshire. 18th February 1938 Acting Pilot Officer Bailey was posted to No. 9 Squadron. On the 11th November 1938 he assumed duties as the Squadron Adjutant from P/O. Allison. 1939 9th July P/O. Bailey was detailed to take the position of Personal Assistant to Wing Commander H. P. Lloyd M.C.,D.F.C. while in Brussels for a flying demonstration at the Military Aviation meeting at Evere, Brussels. 1939 18th November P/O. Bailey was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer

Sgt. John Archibald Brister. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 23. B. 7. Son of Henry B. and Florence L. E. Brister of Leytonstone, Essex

Sgt. Joseph Buglasi Adamson Turnbull. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 2. No further information as yet

Cpl. Reginald Thomas Black. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 2. Son of Arthur Glover Black and Dorothy Emily Black of Langham, Essex. Husband of Doris Black

LAC. Albert George Goodenough. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 23. B. 6. No further information as yet

Researched by: Kate Tame for aircrewremembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew

Acknowledgements: With special thanks to Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - The Bomber Command War Diaries 1939 - 1945, UK National Archives Air 27/125 and Air 27/131, W. R. Chorley Bomber Command Losses 1939 - 1940 and Prewar July 1936 - September 1939, Imperial War Museum

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