LEST WE FORGET
Aircraft Accident (No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE391), North Sea, 22 December 1942
These members are No. 466 Squadron’s first casualties.
Wellington HE391 failed to return to base from a defence cooperation exercise of the night defences of Sheffield and Leeds, UK, involving eight aircraft from the Squadron. All the aircraft took off on scheduled times from RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire, between 1725 and 1746 hours, and all landed except HD – Y which was not seen again. Reports from other aircraft of a fire in position 54.05N 00.25E resulted in an extensive Air Sea Rescue search being carried out by fourteen aircraft and three surface vessels, but these were unsuccessful No trace of the missing aircraft or crew was found. The names of the missing crew are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.
The route and estimated times of the exercise were:
RAF Driffield 1720 – coast 1739 – Sheffield 1850 – Mablethorpe 1909 – position 35 miles east of Flamborough Head 1926 – coast 1945 – Leeds 2012 – Fleetwood 2042 – Holyhead 2118 – Seagull Island 2131 – Shrewsbury 2153 – Worksop 2215 – Goole 2225 – RAF Driffield 2233 hours.
The crew members of HE391 were:
Sergeant Joseph Davison (1091396) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant David Dorn (1437407) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Robert Egerton (656273) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer II David Lorne Hogben (RCAF) (R/91395) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer George Leslie Sellars (122241) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records