Wellington Mk.IC DV678 of 14 OTU crashed while attempting to force land on the 11th June 1943 at Chatsworth Park near Bakewell while on a day training flight from Cottesmore
Leo Braham Patkin | Flying Officer RAAF | Pilot | OK |
Robert Lindsay Bienvenu | Pilot Officer RAAF | Navigator | Injured |
John Leslie Tolmie | Pilot Officer RAAF | Air Bomber | Injured |
William Neil Fisher | Pilot Officer RAAF | ? | OK |
William Donald Blackwell | Sergeant RAAF | Wireless Operator / Air Gunner | OK |
James Balmer | Sergeant RAFVR | Air Gunner | Injured |
While flying at 6700ft on a day cross country flight from RAF Cottesmore both engines began to mis-fire, though the main failure was in the Port engine,and the pilot could not maintain altitude so he was forced to land the aircraft, in doing so the aircraft struck a shallow rise which caused severe damage to the airframe. Fortunately all of the crew were able to walk away from the accident with only minor injuries.
Flying Officer Patkin and Sgt Blackwell were both killed on the 1st/2nd January 1944 when serving with 467 Sqn RAAF. They were flying Lancaster Mk.III LM372 PO-K which crashed in the vicinity of Celle. Both airmen were eventually buried at Hanover War Cemetery.
Sgt Balmer was killed while serving with No.106 Squadron on the 8th July 1944, he was the tail gunner onboard Lancaster JB641 / ZN-X which was taking part in a raid against V-1 sites around St-Leu. The aircraft crashed at Quetteville killing all of the crew.
P/O Fisher was wounded while onboard Lancaster LM338 with No.467 Sqn on the 3rd/4th November 1943 which was taking part in a raid against Dusseldoft but continued his service until after the end of the conflict. The aircraft, however was lost while still with No.467 Sqn in the same raid which cost Sgt Balmer his life.
