Vickers Wellington, MK3.  BK440.  11th. December 1943.

 

First served with No. 426 (B) Squadron, R.C.A.F. coded 'OW-V'.  

 

Flew attack at Wilhelmshaven February 24/25, 1943.  Attacked 5 times by Ju 88, resulting in a large hole in the fuselage.

 

Flew attack at Essen March 12/13, 1943.  Attacked by fighter, no damage.  

 

Flew attack on Kiel April 4/5, 1943.  Attacked by single engine fighter, no damage.

 

Transferred to RAF Little Horwood, 26 operational training unit. (OTU). Code EU-?

 

On the 11th December 1943, Wellington BK440 took off from RAF Little Horwood, 26 O.T.U. detailed to carry out a navigation training sortie, and crashed near Park Farm, Hindolveston, eight miles E.S.E. of Fakenham in Norfolk. All the crew were killed.

 

 

Crew:

 

RAF Flt Sgt A Merridew, Captain (Pilot)

RAF Sgt S Wilson, (Navigator)

RAAF Flt Sgt N Doherty, (Bomb Aimer)

RAF Sgt E W Brown, (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner)

RCAF Sgt W E Martin, (Air Gunner)

RCAF Sgt A W Ellis, (Rear Gunner)

 

Five of the crew were buried on the 16th Dec in the Cambridge City cemetery, Cambridgeshire, UK. The Cemetery is known locally as the Newmarket Road Cemetery.

Sgt E W Brown is buried in the Rushden Cemetery, Northamptonshire, UK.

 

 

Incident of unconscious man at crash site.

 

It appears that the Park farm manager Mr. Charles Tosh (weighing about 17 stone) and the Village Policeman Mr. Arthur William Berry were at the crash site, when Mr Tosh wanted them to go and check that the cattle in the adjoining field had not been injured.

 

Now instead of walking around to the gate he decided to jump over the fence unfortunately his foot caught the top wire and he fell into the ditch and lost consciousness and P.C. Berry somehow managed to get him back to Park Farm where he recovered.

 

Source: E G Wakefield who worked for the Seaman’s at Church farm.