20th February 1944 – RAF Elsham Wolds Collision - Gumbrell and Warner.
103 Sqn - Avro Lancaster III – ND334 - W/O JC Warner RAFVR and crew.
103 Sqn - Avro Lancaster III- JB 530 - F/S H Gumbrell RAFVR and crew.
Op Leipzig.
Location - On RAF Elsham Wolds airfield
Circumstances of Collision.
On return from Leipzig JB530 ( F/S Harold Gumbrell and crew ) was struck on the runway at Elsham Wolds by ND334 ( W/O JC Warner and crew. ) See comments below.
The official report in rather vague but it appears as if permission by the Flying Control Officer was given to JB530 to land first and then gave permission for ND334 to land but before JB530 had actually cleared the runway after landing.
The Court of Enquiry comments suggest that this was due to a lack of flying discipline at the airfield and also added that crews must keep a better lookout. The report also records AOC comments to the effect that FCOs must not depart from normal Group regulations for landing procedures and that funnel positions on approach must be established by FCOs. The report summarises that the accident was caused by the FCO not following normal procedures.
Information from the Warner family adds further light to this sad incident. ND334 was returning from the operation in a damaged condition and was given permission to land by the Flight Controllers. However permission was given before JB530 had cleared the runway after landing just before. The collision occurred on the runway.
Sgt Shaw, who was the Flight Engineer in Sgt Gumbrell’s crew, escaped and then returned to his burning aircraft, JB530, several times to rescue trapped comrades who were injured. There is some suggestion he received a gallantry award for this although so far I have been able to find no record of this.
The following airmen were killed :-
Sgt Donald Henry Cunningham RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 19 – 103 Sqn - Son of Geoffrey Joseph and Alice Maud Cunningham, of Hounslow, Middlesex - Hounslow, Middlesex – Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire - ( pictured above )
F/O Ronald Harry Fuller RAFVR - Navigator - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Henry James Fuller and Florence Fuller, of Marylebone, London – Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire - ( pictured above right with John Warner left)
F/S Charles Bagshaw RAF Auxiliary Air Force – Air Bomber - 22 - Son of Charles Garrett Bagshaw and Sarah Bagshaw, of Urmston – Urmston Cemetery, Greater Manchester.
Sgt Edward Sandilands Gunn RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 103 Sqn - Son of Edward Sandilands Gunn and Bessie Gunn, of Glasgow. His brother David also died on service - 21 - Glasgow.
Sgt Anthony Oliver Haines RAFVR – Air Gunner - 26 – 103 Sqn - Son of Francis Henry Claudian Haines and Florence Ethel Haines, of Bristol – Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire - ( Pictured above )
W/O J C Warner RAFVR ( pictured above ) and Sgt S Clapham RAFVR survived although both were badly injured. W/O Warner was thrown from his seat and suffered multiple injuries. He was in hospital for over a year and never flew with the RAF again.
Haines and Cunningham are buried at Brigg Communal Cemetery. Fuller is buried at Cambridge City Cemetery. Bagshaw rests and Urmston Cemetery and Gunn at Glasgow Western Necropolis.
Gumbrell’s crew.
Harold Gumbrell's crew were on their second operation, the first being the 15/16th Feb to Berlin, and consisted of :
F/S H Gumbrell
Sgt T V Shaw
F/O H J Hearn
F/S F C Osborne - Seriously injured
F/S J Seward
Sgt D W Evans - Injured
Sgt R A Boulton
F/S Fred Charles Osborne, the Air Bomber was seriously injured and Sgt David William Evans, an Air Gunner was injured. The other 5 escaped relatively unhurt. As mentioned above the Flight Engineer in this crew Sgt T V Shaw entered the aircraft 3 times to turn off the engines which were still running and also rescue the Air Bomber and the Mid Upper Gunner both of whom were incapacitated.
Mark Simpson tells me that Sgt T.V.Shaw was 1588527 Thomas Vernon Shaw. He was awarded a B.E.M. for his actions on the night of 19/20 Feb 44, the award was gazetted 26 May 44 with the citation below.
" One morning in February, 1944, Sergeant Shaw was the flight engineer of an aircraft which, when approaching to land after an operatipnal sortie, crashed and immediately caught fire. Three members of the crew of the Lancaster managed to extricate themselves. Sergeant Shaw, who was suffering from shock and was badly shaken, was escaping through his window when he noticed that, although the propellers were broken off, the engines were still running. Disregarding his personal safety Sergeant Shaw made his way back into the burning bomber and succeeded in switching off the engines, thereby making any rescue work less dangerous.
With the assistance of a medical officer, Sergeant Shaw then succeeded in extricating the bomb aimer who had been trapped in the fuselage. Another member of the crew (the mid upper gunner), who was burned on the face and hands and blinded by blood, was making his way to the end of the aircraft which was burning.
Sergeant Shaw re-entered the aircraft and, despite the intense heat, smoke and fumes, he succeeded in getting the mid-upper gunner to safety.
Sergeant Shaw's unselfish and courageous actions undoubtedly contributed to a greater saving of life than would otherwise have been effected. "
I cannot find any indication that any of these airmen flew with 103 Sqn again and neither did Lancaster JB530.
Warner’s crew.
Anthony Haines’ parents ran the St Annes Guest House in Roseville Street, Havre Des Pas, Jersey before the war and Anthony Haines was employed as a gents outfitter in De Gruchy’s Department Store before he joined up. He joined the RAF in early 1940 and trained as a ground gunner before volunteering for aircrew.
Sgt J C Warner
Sgt DHJ Cunningham
P/O R H Fuller
Sgt J J Moore
F/S G Bagshaw
Sgt E S Gunn
Sgt A C Haines
Crew Changes :-
1/2 Jan 44 Moore was replaced by Sgt A H Daines.
5/6 Jan 44 Daines was replaced by F/S A Wild
14/15 Jan 44 Wild was replaced by Sgt J W Smith.
30/31 Jan 44 Smith was replaced by Sgt J J Corkery.
15/16 Feb 44 Corkery was replaced by Sgt W L Churchill.
19/20 Feb 44 Churchill was replaced by Sgt Clapham
Warner’s tour was as follows :-
03-Dec-43 - Leipzig - Lancaster- ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
23-Dec-43- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warne
29-Dec-43- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
01-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
02-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
05-Jan-44- Stettin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
14-Jan-44- Brunswick - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
27-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
30-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
15-Feb-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
19-Feb-44- Leipzig - Lancaster- ND334 - W/O JC Warner
Item written by David Fell with thanks to the late John Haines for the photo of his brother. Also Jon Warner son of W/O J C Warner for the the other crew photos and loan of albums and log books etc.
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