Remembering Today 18 February 1942. The loss of Liberator I AM925 X/120

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Peter Clare, Feb 18, 2016.

  1. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Wednesday, 18 February 1942.

    No.120 Squadron. RAF Coastal Command
    Liberator I AM925 'X'
    Op. Anti-submarine sortie


    The aircraft took off from RAF Nutts Corner, Northern Ireland at 0450 hours on an anti-submarine patrol but failed to gain height, struck a radio mast situated in a field at the end of the east west runway leaving the tail behind, the remainder of the aircraft careered across three small fields and came to rest almost opposite the airfield communal site on the Belfast road. The Liberator caught fire and exploded.

    AM925 had a total flying time 211 hours 25 minutes.

    Crew.

    F/O. B S. Bannister DFC . Captain. Injured.

    Sgt. W J. Wilson. Second pilot. Injured.

    P/O. W M. Densham. Navigator. Fatally injured. P/O. Densham died on 20 February at No.31 General Hospital, Belfast.

    F/O. H. Wakefield DFC. Navigator Injured.

    Sgt. P. Welford. Navigator Killed.

    P/O. P G. Fuller. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Killed.

    Sgt. A A. Middleton. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Killed.

    Sgt. H. Mines. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Injured.

    Sgt. J F. Waite. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Injured. Sgt. J F. Waite was awarded the George Medal for his actions in rescuing P/O. Densham from the blazing aircraft.


    Extract from Form 1180 – Accident Record Card.


    Date : 18-02-42.
    Unit : 120 Squadron.
    Aircraft : Liberator I
    Group : 15
    Serial: AM925
    Command : Coastal
    Engine : Twin Wasp – 282828, 282629, 282630, 282631
    Duty : ?
    Accident Time : 0450 hrs
    Flight Duration : ?
    Pilot : 1st B S. Banister. 2nd H J. Wilson.
    Casualties : 4 Killed. 5 Injured.


    Remarks.


    Took off from runway. Lost height, struck mast and crashed. Did not use flaps as runway 2000 yards long.

    Court of Inquiry :- Error of judgement – main contributing factor was failure to use flaps (but not careless)

    Movement history of Liberator I AM925 X/120
    Construction number. 16
    Ex 40-2364
    Took on Charge St.Hubert 6 June 1941
    St.Hubert – Gander – Prestwick 6-7 June 1941
    To Scottish Aviation Ltd 7 June 1941 Converted to Liberator I
    To No.120 Squadron 23 August 1941
    Lost height after take-off from Nutts Corner hit mast and crashed. Destroyed by fire 18 February 1942.
     
    CL1 and Guy Hudson like this.
  2. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    All of the crew appear in RAF Casualty Communique No. 130 (Flight Global archive) – Welford, Fuller, Middleton as KIA / Densham as Died of Wounds or Injuries received in Action / Bannister, Wilson, Wakefield, Waite, Mines as WIA


    F/O. B S. Bannister DFC . Captain. Injured.

    Flight Lieutenant Bannister, Brian Stanley DFC (Trade: Pilot) Service No: 43089 died 17/07/1942 - Son of Frederick Charles and Kathleen Mary Bannister, of Belfast – Buried in Belfast (Dundonald) Cemetery (RAF Casualty Communique (Flight Global archive dated 24 September 1942) shows him as Killed on Active Service)

    Sgt. W J. Wilson. Second pilot. Injured.

    Nothing to add.

    P/O. W M. Densham. Navigator. Fatally injured.

    Pilot Officer Densham, William Morton (Trade: Obs.) Service No: 02983 - Son of Alex and Alice Marian Densham, of Worthing – Buried in Worthing (Durrington) Cemetery

    F/O. H. Wakefield DFC. Navigator Injured.

    Nothing to add.

    Sgt. P. Welford. Navigator Killed.

    Sergeant Welford, Page (Trade: Flt. Engr.) Service No: 570472 - Son of Page and Gertrude Welford; nephew of Edith Dunning, of Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham - Buried in Hinderwell Cemetery

    P/O. P G. Fuller. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Killed.

    Pilot Officer Fuller, Philip George (Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr.) Service No: 113337 - Son of Mabel Mary Fuller, of Gaywood, King's Lynn – Buried in Gaywood (St. Faith) Churchyard

    Sgt. A A. Middleton. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Killed.

    Sergeant Middleton, Albert Alfred (Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr.) Service No: 641514 - Son of John J. Middleton and Daisy Middleton; husband of Margaret Hilda Freda Middleton, of Kenton, Middlesex – Buried in Streatham Park Cemetery

    Sgt. H. Mines. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Injured.

    Nothing to add.

    Sgt. J F. Waite. Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. Injured.

    Regarding the GM – see attached PDF extracts, bottom RH of first page and top LH of the second one
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Attachment. Second pilot of Liberator AM925 X/120 Harry Wilson, taken outside his home some years ago in Harare, Zimbabwe. I was at one time in contact with his daughter.

    John Waite was a good friend, we met on many occasions. John lived in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
     

    Attached Files:

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