Operation: Tobruk, Libya

Date: 25/26th September 1942 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 40 Squadron (motto: Hostem acolo expellere - 'To drive the enemy from the sky'), 238 Wing, 205 Group, Middle East Air Force

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: HF846

Code: 'P'

Base: LG 213 Kabrit, Egypt

Location: South of El Gubbi

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Gerald Fitzgerald Langham 41913 RNZAF Age 22. MiA (1)

Pilot: Fg Off. Donald Arthur Adams MiD, 41859 RNZAF Age 24. MiA (2)

Obs: Flt Sgt. John Miller Welsh 391432 RNZAF Age 22. MiA (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Richard Henry Cook 404593 Age 26. MiA (4)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:01 hrs on an operation to bomb Tobruk in Libya. The only recorded loss during this operation when seen to go down 1½ Km SW of El Gubbi.

(1) Gerald Fitzgerald Langham was employed as clerk for Wright Stevenson and Co. Ltd. He enlisted in the RNZAF on the 9th February 1941 as a pilot under training. 278 flying hours logged and completed at least 20 operational missions.

(2) Donald Arthur Adams worked as a bank officer for the Bank of New Zealand prior to enlisting in the RNZAF on the 9th February 1941 as a pilot under training. Flew a Wellington to Egypt via Gibraltar in June 1942.

Fg Off. Donald Adams had two earlier escapes:

On the 12th/13th July 1942 again on an operation to Tobruk his Wellington IC HX373 'N' flown by Sqn Ldr. Freeman Steel RNZAF, suffered a compass failure and were unable to find the target. They were unable to find their Base and ran out of petrol and crash landed the aircraft at the Qattara Depression. All crew eventually rescued with no injuries;

On the 14th/15th August 1942 again on an operation to Tobruk. Returning to Base his Wellington IC HX506 'N', flown by Plt Off. Kenneth Holmes RNZAF, overshot the runway at Shaluta, Kabrit and was the only crew member to be slightly injured.

372 flying hours logged and completed at least 10 operational sorties.

He was posthumously Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 28th May 1943.

(3) John Miller Welsh worked as a clerk for the Bank of New Zealand prior to enlisting in the RNZAF on the 20th November 1939. 499 flying hours logged and completed 32 operational sorties.

(4) Richard Henry Cook worked as a farm hand for Percival's Farm, Ormond prior to enlisting in the RNZAF on the 23rd November 1941.

He was on the crew delivering a Wellington via Gibralter and Malta on the 7th June 1942. 341 flying hours logged and completed 32 operational sorties.

Burial details:

Flt Sgt. Gerald Fitzgerald Langham. Alamein Memorial. Panel 265. Born on the 5th July 1920 at Riverton, Southland. Son of James and Mary Ann Langham (née Martin) and nephew of Miss E.F. Martin of Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.

Fg Off. Donald Arthur Adams MiD. Alamein Memorial. Panel 265. Born on the 11th September 1918 at Auckland. Son of Cecil Walter Adams and of Florence Mary Adams (née Jordan), of Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand.

Flt Sgt. John Miller Welsh. Alamein Memorial. Panel 266. Born on the 10th December 1919 at Dunedin. Son of William George and Winifred Bagley Welsh, Ashburton, New Zealand. Son of Harry and Florence Mabel Cook (née Seldon), of Ormond, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sgt. Richard Henry Cook. Alamein Memorial. Panel 266. Born on the 10th September 1921 at Gisborne. Son of Harry and Florence Mabel Cook (née Seldon), of Ormond, Auckland, New Zealand.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and 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 (Jan 2021). Thanks to Antonio McDonald for the correction to Flt Sgt. Langham’s service number which has been added to the reviewed and updated report (Aug 2026)

Other sources listed below:

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