ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 275423
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| Date: | Saturday 10 January 1942 |
| Time: | 20:00 |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk Ic |
| Owner/operator: | 103 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | Z1142 |
| MSN: | PM-N |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | west of Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire |
Sergeant Bray and Spooner were captain and second pilot respectively of the aircraft which participated in an attack on Wilhelmshaven. Sergeant Bray carried out a determined attack in spite of intense anti-aircraft fire but, when making a second run over the target, a violent explosion shook the aircraft and ignited a 4.5 inch flare that was blown from the rear of the bomb compartment into the aft fuselage where it set fire to the fabric, the wooden floor and the beam gunner's seat. The aircraft was now brightly illuminated so that it was an easy target and, whilst held in a concentration of some 30 searchlights was subjected to intense enemy fire. The situation began to appear hopeless and Sergeant Bray, after turning west to ensure being over land, ordered the crew to escape by parachute. He then set the controls and, when making his way to the rear of the aircraft to ensure that the crew had left safely, observed Sergeant Spooner still battling with the flames. Sergeant Bray thereupon returned to the controls and skilfully and coolly extricated his aircraft from a perilous situation. The flare eventually burned its way through the floor of the aircraft and Sergeant Spooner, having exhausted the extinguisher, finally subdued the flames with his gloved hands. He then went forward and, to enable Sergeant Bray to fulfil the duties of navigator, took over the controls. Although suffering acutely from the effects of the fumes, they flew the aircraft back to the UK making a safe landing at RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Crew:
Pilot: Bray, Charles Lorne, Flight Sergeant, R/78203 , RCAF - Safe retun.
2nd Pilot: Spooner, Douglas Wilberforce, Sergeant, Aus 404553, RAAF, Safe return.
Observor: McGill. George Edward, Pilot Officer, J/5312, RCAF - Captured - POW (see note below).
Wireless Op/Air Gunner: Coghlan, Robert Matthew, Sergeant, 1101022, RAFVR - Captured - POW.
Wireless Op/Air Gunner: Whitting, Harold Douglas, Sergeant, Aus 404422, RAAF - Captured POW.
Air Gunner: Frais, Eric Bernard, Sergeant, 985776, RAFVR - Captured - POW.
Note: P/O McGill was interned at Stalagluft III Sagan and participated in the Great Escape. He was murdered by the Gestapo on 31 March 1944 following his recapture.
Sources:
https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/search-awards/?search=r78203&searchfield=servicenumber&type=all
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=Z1142
https://www.northlincsweb.net/103Sqn/
Sgt Bray's (pilot) personnel file from DND/RCAF Archives Canada containing accident report
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/ParadieArchiveDatabase/?q=78203&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=z1142&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact
The London Gazette https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35434/data.pdf
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 12 February 1942 | Z8714 | 103 Sqn RAF | 2 | 40 miles off Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland |  |
w/o |
Images:
The pilot, Sergeant C.L. Bray, RCAF, and the second pilot Sergeant D.W. Spooner, RAAF, in front of a 103 Sqn Wellington on 22 January 1942. (Photo PL-7140 RCAF/DND Canada - Crown copyright expired)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2022 15:35 | tachel | Added |
| 12-Feb-2022 15:47 | tachel | Updated [Photo] |
| 12-Feb-2022 18:05 | tachel | Updated [Source] |
| 12-Feb-2022 20:36 | tachel | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Feb-2022 20:47 | tachel | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Feb-2022 20:50 | tachel | Updated [Narrative] |
| 13-Feb-2022 14:30 | tachel | Updated [Cn] |
| 17-Feb-2022 13:07 | TigerTimon | Updated [Location] |
| 03-May-2023 22:04 | Nepa | Updated [[Location]] |
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