Wellington Crash in Oxfordshire.

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Little Friend, Aug 8, 2018.

  1. Little Friend

    Little Friend Senior Member

  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    The following from RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.7 - W R. Chorley

    16 September 1942
    12 OTU
    Wellington III BJ728
    Op. Training.

    Took off from Chipping Warden for a night navigation exercise. At around 0610 hours while over the town of Conway in Caernarvonshire the starboard engine failed. A course for base was set but just over a hour later, the pilot announced he was going to make a precautionary landing at Little Rissington in Gloucestershire. However, soon after entering the circuit, the port engine faltered and at 0710 hours the Wellington came down at Lower Farm, Milton-under-Wychwood and burst into flames

    A civilian clerk working near the scene of the crash ran to the spot and found the tail gunner, Sgt. Lyons RCAF lying amidst the wreckage of the rear fuselage and pulled him clear. Apparently, he (Sgt. Lyon) had been trying to find his colleagues trapped in the shattered aeroplane. Suffering from second degree burns, the young Canadian was taken to SSQ Little Rissington and thence by air ambulance to Princess Mary's Hospital, Halton. Sgt. McCarthy RNZAF and Sgt. Ferguson rest in Little Rissington (St.Peter) churchyard, while Sgt. Arnold (he was a schoolmaster) and Sgt. Ritche were taken to their local towns.


    Crew.
    Sgt. R G. McCarthy RNZAF +
    Sgt. W J. Ferguson +
    Sgt. D G W. Arnold +
    Sgt. J F S. Richie +
    Sgt. A. Lyon RCAF. Injured
     
    Little Friend and Tricky Dicky like this.
  3. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    P/O Armstrong ‘Doc’ Lyon RCAF R108340/ J92830 | 75(nz)squadron

    From Hugh Halliday's "Honours and Awards" database:

    LYON, WO (now P/O) Armstrong (R108340/J92830) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.214 Squadron - Award effective 5 February 1945 as per London Gazette dated 16 February 1945 and AFRO 563/45 dated 29 March 1945. American in the RCAF. Born 7 November 1919, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; home in Marbarth, Pennsylvania; enlisted Montreal 25 June 1941 and posted to No.5A Manning Depot. To No.5 SFTS (guard duty), 9 August 1941. To No.5 ITS, 27 October 1941; to Trenton, 14 November 1941; promoted LAC, 9 December 1941; to No.9 BGS, 13 December 1941; to No.6 BGS, 15 January 1942; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 16 February 1942. To “Y” Depot, 17 February 1942; to RAF overseas, 23 March 1942. Promoted WO2, 16 February 1942. Promoted WO1, 16 August 1943. Commissioned 24 November 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 24 May 1945. Repatriated 9 February 1945. To No.1 Air Command, 26 February 1945. To No.16 SFTS, 29 March 1945. To Mountain View, 22 April 1945. To AFHQ, 13 May 1945. To Eastern Air Command, 15 July 1945. To No.10 Explosive Depot, 17 July 1945. To Western Air Command, 18 September 1945. Returned to Eastern Air Command, 23 November 1945. To No.1 PTU, 20 January 1946. To No.1 Composite Training School, 10 April 1946. To Air Armament School, 24 September 1946. Retained in RCAF as Gunnery Officer as of 1 October 1946 (20502). No citation other than "completed... numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he has] invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty." Public Records Office Air 2/8830 has recommendation dated 16 November 1944 when he had flown 56 sorties (288 hours 35 minutes). It is a particularly interesting document in that the Station CO, G/C T.C. Dickens, writes on 19 November that Lyon is "A really excellent Air Gunner...The personal successes of the Warrant Officer have proved an inspiration to all aircrew on the Station, in that over two operational tours this Air Gunner is officially credited with four enemy night fighters destroyed (one shared) and two damaged."


    (* denotes jamming operation; ** is window

    sortie; + is Big Ben operation; all others are

    standard bombing or mine-laying missions)


    First Tour


    18 April 1943 - Frisiens (4.00)*

    10 Aug 43 - Nuremburg (8.00)

    12 Aug 43 - Turin (8.15)

    16 Aug 43 - Peenemunde (7.25)

    23 Aug 43 - Berlin (8.00)

    26 Aug 43 - Nuremburg (8.00)

    30 Aug 43 - Munchen Gladbach (4.00)

    31 Aug 43 - Berlin (7.30)

    16 February 1943 - Paris (5.30)*

    19 February 1943 - Le Havre (3.00)*

    20 February 1943 - Paris (5.00)*

    22 February 1943 - Cherbourg (3.50)*

    13 July 1943 - Aachen (4.55)

    24 July 1943 - Hamburg (6.30)

    25 July 1943 - Essen (4.55)

    27 July 1943 - Hamburg (6.30)

    29 July 1943 - Hamburg (4.25)

    22 June 1943 - GARDENING Frisiens (4.40)

    24 June 1943 - Wuppertal (4.30)

    25 June 1943 - Gelsenkerchin (4.15)

    8 March 1943 - Nuremburg (6.10)*

    3 October 1943 - Kassel (3.00)

    4 October 1943 - Frankfort (6.00)

    8 October 1943 - Bremen (5.00)

    8 September 1943 - Boulogne (2.50)

    15 September 1943 - Mont Lucon (6.40)

    16 September 1943 - Mondaine (7.50)

    22 September 1943 - Hanover (5.50)

    23 September 1943 - Mannheim (6.35)



    Second Tour


    25 May 1944 - Kiel (5.45)*

    27 May 1944 - Nantes (5.05)*

    5 June 1944 - Normandy (4.30)*

    4 July 1944 - Villeneuve St.Georges (5.00)*

    9 July 1944 - St.Leu d'Esserent (4.30)

    14 July 1944 - Revigny (8.00)

    17 July 1944 - France (2.00)**

    19 July 1944 - Belgium (3.45)**

    20 July 1944 - France (3.00)**

    24 July 1944 - France (3.00)**

    25 July 1944 - Stuttgart (9.00)*

    13 Aug 44 - Belgium (2.00)**

    16 Aug 44 - Kiel (5.00)*

    17 Aug 44 - Dutch coast (3.15)*

    18 Aug 44 - Sterkrade (3.30)*

    13 September 1944 - Gelsenkirchen (4.50)+

    14 September 1944 - Wilhelmshaven (2.35)*

    16 September 1944 - The Hague (2.25)+

    19 September 1944 - France (5.20)**

    21 September 1944 - Holland (5.30)+

    5 October 1944 - Saarbrucken (5.00)*

    6 October 1944 - Germany (5.20)**

    8 October 1944 - Brunswick (7.00)*

    19 October 1944 - Nuremburg (6.15)*

    26 October 1944 - Denmark (4.15)**

    30 October 1944 - Germany (5.15)**

    31 October 1944 - Cologne/Franfort (6.15)**

    This Warrant Officer is a most excellent Air Gunner who has flown on almost 60 operational sorties. He has always shown himself ready to engage the enemy wherever the least opportunity has arisen. By his aggressive spirit and by a thorough knowledge of his guns he has engaged and destroyed many enemy night fighters. He has set a splendid example to his fellow gunners which they have been quick to follow.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2018

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