Operation: Training

Date: 13th March 1943 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 11 Operational Training Unit

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R1025

Code: -

Base: RAF Westcott, Buckinghamshire

Location: At airfield

Pilot: Sgt. Cyril Smith 1199161 RAFVR Age 20. Injured

Obs: Sgt. Leonard Vernon Frederick Etwell NZ/417276 RNZAF Age ? Injured

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Norman John Fletcher 134677 RAFVR Age 23. Injured

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Sydney James McPhail NZ/414885 RNZAF Age 25. Injured

Air/Gnr: Sgt. W.G. Bates RAFVR Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off on a night navigation exercise.

Shortly afterwards the pilot experienced handling problems and despite trimming the starboard wing had a marked teensy to drop. So to keep the bomber on a level attitude left hand bank was necessary .

On reaching the airfield Sgt. Smith managed a reasonable approach down to 150 ft. Flying at about 95 mph the starboard wing dropped at an alarming angle at which point the aircraft hit the ground., with the Wellington totally wrecked. All the crew were taken to the sick quarters suffering from shock and minor injuries.

Later on whilst stationed at Kairouan North Temmar in Tunisia this crew, minus Sgt. Bates who was replaced by Sgt. Edward Mandel Noble NZ/414518 RNZAF. On an operation to bomb the airfield at Viterbo in Italy 18/19th September 1943 they were hit by flak and brought down near the target. Wellington X HZ310 LF-T. Fl/Sgt. Smith and F/O. Fletcher were killed, Sgt. Etwell PoW No. 657, Sgt. McPhall PoW No. 39335 and Sgt. Noble PoW No. 656 were held at Stalag Luft Heydekrug (L6 ) all survived the war,

Above L-R: F/O. Fletcher, Sgt. Etwell, Sgt. McPhail and Sgt. Noble.

Burial details:

Sgt. Cyril Smith. Bolsena War Cemetery. Grave III.A.1. Son of Percy and Minnie Smith, of Manchester, England. Grave Inscription: 'Thoughts Go Back To Bygone Days Life Goes On But Memory Stays',

F/O. Norman John Fletcher. Bolsena War Cemetery. Grave I.B.8. Born in Wellington, Shropshire on the 01st May 1919. In civilian life he worked for the Post Office starting when he left School in 1936. Son of John Sambrook Fletcher and Beatrice Gertrude Fletcher and husband of Joan Fletcher, of Farndon, Cheshire, England. Grave Inscription: 'Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord'.

Sgt. Leonard Vernon Frederick Etwell - of Christchurch, New Zealand. Born on December 2st 1908 in England. Husband of Kathleen Etwell (née Commons - died 1985 age 68). No further information.

Sgt. John Sydney James McPhail - of Gore, New Zealand, husband of Mignon McPhail. Died 29th April 2010, age 93. No further information.

Sgt. Edward Mandel Noble - of Christchurch, New Zealand. Died 10th March 1997, age 79 buried at St. Mary's Anglican Churchyard, Halswell, Christchurch, New Zealand. Son of William Edward Noble (died 09th Septembet 1964, age 82) and Sarah Noble (died 25th July 1969, age 87). Husband of Eileen Edith Noble (died 22nd October 2003, age 84) His brother John Hale Noble NZ/427223 also served in the RNZAF.

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, other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 15 November 2021, 16:37