31 May 1942 - 103 Squadron, RAF Elsham Wolds - Vickers Wellington I - R1234 - Sgt L W Flowers RAFVR and crew - Transit Flight.
Location - Half a mile north west of RAF Kirmington airfield.
This aircraft was airborne from Kirmington on a transit flight back to Elsham Wolds. On take off the port engine reduction gear failed, causing the propeller to come away. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the ground near the airfield. The only location I have is half a mile north west of Kirmington airfield which would be around the chalk quarry or a bit beyond. Other than that I cannot tell.
The operation on the night of the 30/31st May 1942 was to Cologne and was known as the 1000 Bomber Raid. The Flowers crew were flying their first operation. They took off from Elsham Wolds at 2330 and landed at Kirmington at 0500. I suspect this diversion to nearby Kirmington on return was because of the numbers of aircraft landing at Elsham Wolds around that time coming back from the raid which may well have included OTU aircraft for this operation. Flowers may have been short of fuel hence the short diversion.
3 of the crew were killed and 2 injured.
Those killed were :-
Sgt Leslie William Flowers RAFVR – Pilot – 103 Sqn - Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire.
Sgt Albert Allan Conisbee RAFVR – Observer – 30 – 103 Sqn - Son of George Joseph and Mabel Edith Conisbee, of Brockley, London; husband of Denise Conisbee, of Chelsea, London - Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire.
Sgt Brian Clifford Slowly RAFVR – Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of William Elias and Mary Ann Slowly, of Brighton – Brighton ( The Downs ) Cemetery, Sussex.
Also from this crew F/S N Ryder injured. Sgt E Robinson injured.
F/S N Ryder may be F/S S N Ryder killed on the 28th July 1942 in a training crash. Halifax W1218 Stockford.
R1234 had completed 17 ops by the time it crashed.
Compiled by David Fell. Photo from my own archive.
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