Following what is thought to have been a successful mission a Vickers Wellington bomber type III, serial number X3423 and code WS-X with 5 men in their 20s began their return to the UK.

Unfortunately the flight didn’t make it back to Honington, and the aircraft crashed in a field off the Hanney Road here in Steventon. The cause was initially thought to be engine trouble however, it is documented that shortly before the crash other aircraft in the area reportedly heard the aircraft making the ‘Darky’ call. This is the call a pilot puts out on discovering he is lost.

Local man Raymond Cox, better known in the village as Jack Cox, saw the plane come down, and ran to offer assistance. Jack was able to pull Air Gunner Sgt George from the wreckage, leaving him safely in the field.

Jack ran back to help the others, but unfortunately the plane exploded and the other 4 men died.

The crew were:

Pilot: Sgt John Daniel Kingdon (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)

Observer: Flt Sgt George Allen Morley (Royal Canadian Air Force)

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: Flt Sgt Archibald Bernard MacDonell (Royal Canadian Air Force)

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: Sgt Frederick Henry Eubank (Royal Canadian Air Force)

Air Gunner: Sgt George (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)

Shortly afterwards, Jack received a hand written letter from ‘RAF Station Abingdon’ asking that he attend an inquest into the aircrash. We are trying to locate the records of the inquest. Many years later the man Jack saved, documented as Air Gunner: Sgt George and rumoured to have an Australian accent, returned to the crash site to pay his respects where his ‘mates’ died. The deceased are all laid to rest in their home countries of Wales and Canada. Over the years many bits of plane wreckage have been recovered from the field as can be seen in the picture below.

Research and words by Martin Stimpson-tame 2020.

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