Operation: Training

Date: 12th June 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 21 Operational Training Unit

Type: Wellington X

Serial: LM635

Code: -

Base: RAF Moreton-in Marsh

Location: Primrose Barn, Upper Tyson

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Jack Mclean Gaddes NZ/4277800 RNZAF Age 25. Safe

Obs: Sgt. G.M Dilworth RAFVR Injured

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Frederick Nicholson Chapman Aus/410938 RAAF Age 31. Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off for a night bombing practice exercise. over the Radway ranges,

At 04:20 hrs a fire broke out in the bomb bay, the crew baled out leaving the aircraft to crash at location shown.

Sgt. Dilwoth was treated for shock but Fl/Sgt. Chapman suffered a broken leg and was hospitalised.

Above: Aerodrome Defence Unit, Camp 1. Hibiscus Coast, Auckland 30th May 1942

Rear L-R: Jack Mclean Gaddes NZ4277800, A. C. Cullen, W. I. Farr, M. D. Sneddon.
Center: A. C. King, William Stuart Norman NZ/429764, Jim Worth NZ/425510 killed 21st July 1944, Kenneth Panail Olsen NZ/427805.
Front: William Walter Williams NZ432398, F. Stevenson, D. M. Cameron.

Above: No. 4 Initial Training School, RAAF, Course No. 27, B Squadron, Flight 9.

Rear L-R: 417336 Ian Douglas Chalmers , 417327 George William Bateman (later Flight Sergeant (Fl/Sgt. killed on 25th June 1944, Anthony Carlyle Cameron (later Fl/Sgt. killed on 5 November 1944. 417334 Colin Alexander Byrne, 417332 James Vincent Seaton Bowen, 410946 Gordon Roch Campbell (later F/O. killed on 04th December 1944, 415934 Donald Cameron, 417328 Charles Nevil Ker Bell, 410949 Ronald Ross Carter (later Fl/Lt. killed on 11th October 1945); 417335 James John Campbell (later Fl/Lt killed on 21st February 1944), 410934 Walter Joseph Adams (later Fl/Sgt. killed on 31st March 1944).

Centre: 410936 Keith Fowler Allen (Fl/Sgt. killed on the 12 March 1944); 410939 William Arthur Bennett, 410937 Alan Charles Alpass, 410945 Kenneth Roy Caldecott, 410948 Alexander Francis Cargill, 418020 John Robert Brown, 417324 Allen James Agnew, 410950, Frederick Nicholson Chapman, 410938 Kenneth Melville Annett, 410942 Sydney Harold Brasher, 410940 Hugh Melville Bissell, 417333. John Raymond Burton (Fl/Sgt. killed on the 20th October 1943).

Front: 415924 Arnold Campbell, 417330 Harold William Bird (later P/O. killed on the 17th June 1944) 10941 Frederick Clifford Boyce (later F/O killed on 24th December 1943), 417325 Ralph Douglas Anderson , 410947 Stanley Edward Carey (later P/O killed on 02nd July 1943), 410951 Henri Hyam Ciddor, Sgt. B.D Hoffman, 417326 Clifford Stanley Ball, 417331 Jack William Robinson Boanas (later Fl/Sgt killed on 31st October 1943, 410952 Geoffrey Reginald Clarke, 410935 Jack Shaw Alexander (later Fl/Sgt killed on 17th November 1943, 417337 Arthur Raymond Christian (later F/O awarded DFC, 417323 Douglas Whinnen Abbott.

Burial details:

All the crew survived the war.

Fl/Sgt. Jack Mclean Gaddes. Born on the 05th February 1919 at Morrinsville, Waikato. Later served with 77 squadron and awarded the DFC. He died on the 19th October 2010, age 91 and is buried at Piako Cemetery, Seales Road, New Zealand.

Fl/Sgt. Frederick Nicholson Chapman. Born on the 28th December 1913 at Trentham, Victoria, Australia. Son of Henry James Chapman (died on the 23rd November 1946, age 70) and Lilian Constance Fletcher Chapman (née Fletcher - died on the 02nd October 1948, age 72) husband of Kathleen Mary Chapman (died on the 27th September 1996, age 80) Sadly Frederick Chapman died at the young age of 44 on the 28th June 1958 at Avoca, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, Australian Archives, other sources as quoted below:

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