Operation: Training

Date: 12th June 1944 (Monday)

Unit No: 21 Operational Training Unit (OTU)

Type: Wellington X

Serial: LN635

Code: -

Base: RAF Moreton-in Marsh

Location: Primrose Barn, Upper Tyson

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Jack Mclean Gaddes 4277800 RNZAF Age 25. Safe

Obs: Sgt. G.M Dilworth RAFVR Injured

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Frederick Nicholson Chapman 410950 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. Dilworth was treated for shock but Flt 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 427800, A. C. Cullen, W. I. Farr, M. D. Sneddon.
Center: A. C. King, William Stuart Norman 429764, Jim Worth 425510 killed 21st July 1944, Kenneth Panail Olsen 427805.
Front: William Walter Williams 432398, 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 Flt Sgt. killed on 25th June 1944, Anthony Carlyle Cameron (later Flt Sgt. killed on 5 November 1944. 417334 Colin Alexander Byrne, 417332 James Vincent Seaton Bowen, 410946 Gordon Roch Campbell (later Fg Off. killed on 04th December 1944, 415934 Donald Cameron, 417328 Charles Nevil Ker Bell, 410949 Ronald Ross Carter (later Flt Lt. killed on 11th October 1945); 417335 James John Campbell (later Flt Lt killed on 21st February 1944), 410934 Walter Joseph Adams (later Flt Sgt. killed on 31st March 1944).

Centre: 410936 Keith Fowler Allen (Flt 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 (Flt Sgt. killed on the 20th October 1943).

Front: 415924 Arnold Campbell, 417330 Harold William Bird (later Plt Off. killed on the 17th June 1944) 10941 Frederick Clifford Boyce (later Fg Off .killed on 24th December 1943), 417325 Ralph Douglas Anderson , 410947 Stanley Edward Carey (later Plt Off. killed on 2nd July 1943), 410951 Henri Hyam Ciddor, Sgt. B.D Hoffman, 417326 Clifford Stanley Ball, 417331 Jack William Robinson Boanas (later Flt Sgt killed on 31st October 1943, 410952 Geoffrey Reginald Clarke, 410935 Jack Shaw Alexander (later Flt Sgt killed on 17th November 1943, 417337 Arthur Raymond Christian (later Fg Off. awarded DFC, 417323 Douglas Whinnen Abbott.

Burial details

All the crew survived the war.

Flt Sgt. Jack Mclean Gaddes. Born on the 5th 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.

Flt 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 2nd 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 by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) 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. (Nov 2021). Aircraft Serial Number and Flt Sgt. Chapman's service number corrections (Sep 2026)

Other Sources listed below:

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