Vickers Wellington Mk.IC T2714 / DD-C of No.22 OTU, crashed on Burn Tod to the North of Skiddaw on the 8th February 1942

Vickers Wellington Mk.X at the Royal Air Force Museum

 

Leslie George John Mizen Sergeant RAFVR Pilot Killed
James Graham Hardie Sergeant RAF Co-pilot Killed
Denis John Richardson Pilot Officer RCAF Observer Killed
Edward George Jenner Flight Sergeant RCAF Wireless Operator / Air gunner Killed
Louis Joseph Raymond Bechard Flight Sergeant RCAF Wireless Operator / Air gunner Killed
Stuart John Gascoyne Rutherford Sergeant Air gunner Injured

 

The crew were on a cross country navigation training flight from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire when their aircraft crashed near the summit of Burn Tod in the Uldale Fells in the north eastern part of the Lake District. All but the rear gunner, Sgt Rutherford were killed in the crash, he made his way off the hill to the hamlet of Longlands to summon help. Following this the bodies of the victims were recovered by medical personnel from No.1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at RAF Silloth while the wreck was dismantled and recovered by No.83 Maintenance Unit.

The only survivor of the crash was later killed on the 31st March 1943 while onboard Whitley BD412 of No.10 OTU which was on detatchment to RAF St Eval to carry out anti submarine patrols of the SW approaches. The aircraft disappeared on one such patrol with the loss of all the crew. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial

The three Canadian members of the crew were buried at Silloth Cemetery while the two British victims were buried by their families, Sgt Mizen at Heston Churchyard in West London and Sgt Hardie in Birkenhead.

Sergeant Leslie George John Mizen
Pilot, Sergeant Leslie Mizen
Image Courtesy of Nick Pratley.
Pilot Officer Denis John Richardson
Observer, Pilot Officer Denis Richardson
Image Courtesy of Nick Pratley.
Flight Sergeant Edward George Jenner
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Flight Sergeant Edward Jenner
Image Courtesy of Nick Pratley.
Flight Sergeant Louis Joseph Raymond Bechard
Wireless Operator, Flight Sergeant Raymond Béchard photographed before he departed Canada for the British Isles.
Image Courtesy of Georges Bechard.
Sergeant Stuart John Gascoyne Rutherford
Air Gunner, Sergeant Rutherford
Image Courtesy of Nick Pratley.
Crash site of Wellington T2714 on Burn Tod
Very little remains today at the crash site, only a small scar containing some small pieces of the aircraft.
This view is looking towards Trusmadoor, and beyond Longlands, where Sgt Rutherford had walked to following the crash.
No.83 MU Personnel at the crash site of Wellington T2714
This photograph has a similar background to the first image of the crash site. It was taken by a member of No.83 MU while they were clearing the site.
(Bill Middleton, from the files of Gilbert Rothery, via ex RAF Millom Museum)
Looking up to the top of Burn Tod Gill from the crash site of Wellington T2714
Another view of the crash, this time looking up hill toward the top of Burn Tod Gill.
Small fragments of wreckage from Vickers Wellington Mk.IC T2714 on Burn Tod
Some of the small fragments which still remain at the crash site today.