Vickers Wellington, Waterford, February 1943
In the story of foreign aircraft crashes and landings in
Ireland during World War Two, that which occurred on the 17th
February 1943 stands out as being the last landing that resulted
in the internment of an Allied crew.
On the evening of 16th February 1943 RAF Bomber crews across
England prepared for a raid on the German U-boat pen base in the
French City of Lorient.
At the base of Royal Canadian Air Force 427 Squadron, 9 crews
prepared for the raid, including one manned by men from England
and Scotland. The pilot, Sergeant Holloway took off at
18:27 hours and made a successful attack on the target. On the
return home however, things started to go wrong.
http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12300/1?r=0&s=1 http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12301/265?r=0&s=3
Chief Staff Officer,
G.2 Branch,
Department of Defence,
Dublin.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that a British Wellington
Bomber made a forced landing 2 mls. E. of Waterford at 01.30
hrs. on the 17th inst. The plane went on fire after crashing
and was destroyed except for the rear turret. The crew of five
Sergeants are safe and uninjured. They have been interned at
the Curragh since 21.45 hrs. same date.
Their names are:-
Sergt. John Holloway, 1288562,
235, Court Road, Ethane, London S.E.9,
Sergt. David Ross 1064822,
Glenlossie, Hermitage Drive, Edinborough.
Sergt. Frank Thomas, 1536438.
29, Regent St,, Earlstown, Newtown-Lee-Willows, Lancashire,
Sergt. George Slater, 1365352,
148, Mornlngton Rd., Edinborough. .
Sergt, Donald Taylor, 857301,
Rolyate, Lee Road, Lincoln,
The crew were not in possession of identity cards and only one
carried his identity discs. Each N.C.O. carried a small
waterproof packet which was sealed and contains bank notes
(French, Belgium and Holland) a small compass and a piece of
rubber inside of which was embedded a small hacksaw. I am
forwarding these five packets to you herewith. I am also
sending you the remains of a burnt map of England but beyond
that there were no papers or documents which survived the
flames. A map is also enclosed in each packet.
It would appear that having completed a bombing raid on San
Nazaire (France) and while returning to England the
instruments, as the pilot, Sergt. Holloway, said “went
haywire’ and he lost his direction. He cruised around for
about an hour and petrol running low decided to crash land.
But for striking a tree with his starboard wing he would have
done this successfully and the plane would have sustained
little damage.
An officer from the Air Corps removed the guns from the rear
turret and also the wireless set from the plane yesterday.
Other parts can also be salvaged including, I believe one
engine complete.
On my way to the scene of the crash last evening I saw
OVER/ :
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orn iì.,
Ourragh.
18/2/43,
Crash of Wellington Bomber 2 mis. E. of Watertord.
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Sgt John Edward HOLLOWAY 1266562 (Int) DoB 21 Feb 1921 20 O.T.U.
– Pilot
131 Eglinton Hill, Plumstead, London
Father and wife, Mr Robert J Holloway and Mrs PEARL VIOLET
Holloway, 235 Court Road, Eltham.
Parents, Robert John and Evelyn (Mande), from Baptism record.
Sidcup
Died 17 August 2011 in Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 or
Buckingham, MK18.
Sgt David Eric Munroe ROSS 1064622 (Int) – Born 1920. Broke his
ankle playing football in March 1944 and was transferred to
Northern Ireland
AIR20/1021 – Mr A Ross (father) Glenlosssie, hermitage Drive,
Edinburgh. He married his wife, Dorothy M W Hallam in 1945 in
Lancashire.
Died December 26th, 2000, advised by his son Nigel Ross who
himself died in December 2004.
Sgt Donald Hugh TAYLOR 657301 (Int)(Rel) 3 Jul 1916 – 20 O.T.U.
– Bomb Aimer (Re-pat 27 Jan 1944)
28 Geneva Cresent, Darlington, Durham
Father R E Taylor at Rolyat, Lee Road, Lincoln, Lincs, mother
Coles
In August 1941 he travelled to America from Canada via Detroit
to undertake training at Alabama Aero. Inst. Tuscaloosa.
He passed away in Manchester in October 1987.
Sgt George Chalmers SLATER 1365352 (Int) DoB 7 Dec 1921 – 20
O.T.U. – Wireless Operator
Mr G Slater [father] 145 Morningside Road, Edinburgh
Married April 1, 1955.
Died 8 April 2002 in Wick, Scotland. Son of George Slater and
Elizabeth Slater. Geni.com
Sgt Frank THOMAS 1536438 (Int)(Rel)" DoB 31 Aug 1921 – 20 O.T.U.
– Air Gunner (re-pat November 1943)
9 Regent St, Newton-Le-Willows, Lancs [Mother Mrs. A Thomas]
Slater evasion report states:
We took off from CROFT in a Wellington aircraft on 17 Feb 1943
at 1830 hrs on a bombing trip to Lorient. On the return journey
to base it was not possible to get satisfactory loop bearings.
We made landfall at 0030 hrs, 18 Feb, and crash-landed owing to
shortage of petrol. We landed in a field near WATERFORD, Co.
WATERFORD, EIRE. I was arrested by the police and interned in
the CURRAGH Camp until 16 Oct and at GORMANSTOWN until 15 July
44, when I was sent to the UK.
If you have information on any of the people listed above, please do contact me at dp_burke@yahoo.com