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Operation: Gunnery demonstration
Date: 18th July 1943 (Sunday)
Unit: No. 1485 Flight
Type: Wellington III
Serial: BK235
Base: RAF Fulbeck, Lincolnshire
Location: 1 Mile South East of Appleby, Lincolnshire
Pilot: W/O. John William Heard 1169045 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Inst: Fl/Sgt. Daniel Breslin DFM. 1561437 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Student: W/Cmdr. Alister William Stewart Matheson AUS/29258 RAAF Age 33. Killed
Student: Gp/Cptn. Brian Everard Lowe 28252 RAF Age 33. Killed
Student: Gp/Cptn. Reginald Vere Massey Odbert RAF Age 39. Killed
Student: Sq/Ldr. Philip Brandon-Trye 42792 RAF Age 24. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Fulbeck, Lincolnshire with senior officers who had arrived to see what the training involved. The students due to go up were informed that there training had been cancelled that afternoon!
'Wellington BK235 was engaged in a corkscrew fighter affiliation exercise on the 18th July, 1943 with Martinet HN877 piloted by F/O. Jordan. Both aircraft operated with 1485 BG Flight.
Description of Corkscrew Manoeuvre
When F/O Jordan was about 200 yards astern of the Wellington he saw the starboard wing of the aircraft break completely off at the outboard of the starboard engine. The Wellington at once went into a dive, and crashed 1 ½ miles south of Appleby, Lincolnshire, killing the six crew members. Timed at 16.25hrs.
The crew details: Pilot – W/O. Heard, Instructor – Sgt. Breslin, students on Senior Officer’s Gunnery Course – Group Captain Lowe; Group Captain Odbert; Wing Commander Matheson; and Squadron Leader Brandon-Trye.'
Right: Pilot of Wellington III BK235 W/O. 'Jonny"'Heard. Taken on the 1st May 1943 whilst acting as best man to the father of Kerry Walsh who submitted this photograph. Her father was due to fly as the Gunnery Instructor on this flight.
Burial details:
W/O. John William Heard. Brigg Cemetery. Plot C. Grave 370. Son of Edward and Louisa Heard, of Ewell, Epsom, Surrey, England.
W/Cmdr. Alister William Stewart Matheson. Brigg Cemetery. Plot C. Grave 182. Son of William and Kathrine Matheson; husband of Nancy Elaine Matheson, of Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Born 07th October 1909 at Winchelsea, Victoria, Australia. Prior to service worked as a surveyor.
Gp/Cptn. Brian Everard Lowe. Brigg Cemetery. Plot B. Grave 88. Born Kings Norton, Worcestershire, October 1910.
Granted short-term commission in the RAF 5 February 1930. Married Mary Jessie (nee James) at Birmingham, September 1935. 1940 Air Force List shows him as Squadron Leader with effect from 1 October 1938. 28252 Squadron Leader Lowe temporary Wing Commander with effect from 10 December 1940. MiD awarded 1 January 1941. OC No. 103 Squadron 4 April 1941 - 25 August 1941.
Left: Group Captain. Reginald Vere Massey Odbert.
In the course of 20 years service in the Royal Air Force men such as Group Captain R. V. M. Odbert acquire many friends. In captaining the rugger team he still further enlarged that circle. All who knew him will agree that 'Oddy' gave his whole life to his profession and closely approached the ideal officer. Those who served with him pay tribute to his honesty of purpose and tenacity: his simplicity of living was exemplary, his only luxury being his generosity to others. These qualities evoked a profound respect both from those who saw eye to eye with him and those who differed in the many difficult problems in which he dealt. After many years of hard work he had his reward. It was clear from talking to his officers and men that during the few months in which he commanded an operational station in Bomber Command they saw in him the man who gave his utmost and who was grateful for the support that inevitably followed. Although he leaves so many friends, there will be many to greet him.'Sq/Ldr. Philip Brandon-Trye. Brigg Cemetery. Plot C. Grave 464. Born in London 30th October 1919. Serving with 106 Squadron at date of loss and attending 1485 on a senior officers gunnery course.
Fl/Sgt Daniel Breslin DFM. Strabane Cemetery. Sec.A. Class C. Grave 21. Son of Daniel and Bridget Breslin, of Strabane, Northern Ireland. DFM awarded whilst with 106 Squadron - London Gazette 15th June 1943.
Kerry Walsh wrote via our Helpdesk:
'My father, a gunnery instructor at 1485 at the time, was going to fly as the instructor on the VIP flight but was well ahead in a card game in the mess at lunchtime. Jonny told him to carry on playing and took another gunnery instructor on the ill-fated flight. I guess he cheated the reaper again. Luckily for me and my siblings!
Incidentally; that particular Hampden crash - shot down shortly after take-off by an intruder - features in Terence Rattigan's play 'Flare Path'. He even mentions the survival of 'Ginger' Walsh. I've never found any evidence that Terence Rattigan knew my dad or served on 144 sqn or at Hemswell. Maybe he just heard the story from fellow airmen. My mum & dad went to see the play in the West End during its original run.'
Ginger Walsh also features in the Hampden AD761 story.
Researched for relatives of the crew with thanks to Jill Gilliver for grave photographs, Kerry Walsh for photo of the pilot, W/O. Heard. Also to Dave Champion for details on Gp/Cpt. Lowe - March 2019.
RS 24.03.2019 - Correction to airbase
KTY 27.07.2015 New photo and map added.
RS 24.03.2019 - Correction to airbase
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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