Date: 30th January 1944
Unit: No. 22 O.T.U.
Type: Wellington III
Serial: DF566
Code: -
Base: Wellesbourne Mountford Warwickshire
Location: North Farm, Ladbroke
Pilot: F/O. Lionel Wollaston Mathews D.F.M. J/17198 R.C.A.F. Age 23. Killed
Pilot 2: F/O. Gordon Henry Schlitt J/12768 R.C.A.F. Age 20. Killed
Nav: F/O. Clarence Walter Pearce J/27424 R.C.A.F. Age 29. Killed
Air/Bmr: P/O. Edward Addy Davis J/28949 R.C.A.F. Age 24. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frederick Arthur Nichols R/104146 R.C.A.F. Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Allen Hobson R/222664 R.C.A.F. Age 18. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Carlin Anthony Bannon R/203391 R.C.A.F. Age 20. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 19.24 hrs. from Wellesbourne Mountford for bombing practice. After only 6 minutes another crew reported seeing a Wellington on fire in the air. Shortly afterwards the aircraft dived steeply and crashed and exploded at North Farm, Ladbroke.
F/O. Lionel Mathews had already completed 31 bombing operations with 150 Squadron.
Today in Alberta, Canada F/O. Lionel Mathews now has a lake named after him.
F/O. Lionel Wollaston Mathews: Distinguished Flying Medal - No.150 Squadron - Award effective 17 March 1943 as per London Gazette dated 13 April 1943 and AFRO 809/43 dated 7 May 1943.
Enlisted Calgary 5 May 1941. Trained at No.4 ITS (graduated 29 August 1941), No.5 EFTS and No.10 SFTS (graduated 16 January 1942). Medal presented at Buckingham Palace 18 May 1943:
"This airman has completed 31 operational sorties over Germany, Italy and Tunisia. He has invariably pressed home his attacks with courage and determination and has obtained many excellent photographs. On one occasion, when taking part in an operation over Sicily, his aircraft sustained damage and his rear gunner received wounds which subsequently proved fatal. Sergeant Matthews brought his damaged aircraft back safely, landing with his wounded comrade at an aerodrome where hospital attention was available."
Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery (Courtesy Mike Harrison)
Sgt. Carlin Anthony Bannon (Courtesy of Mike Harrison)
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Burial details:
F/O. Lionel Wollaston Mathews D.F.M. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4211
Son of Shirley M. Matthews and Maude A. Matthews, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
F/O. Gordon Henry Schlitt. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4212
Son of Henry P. Schlitt and Agnes Elizabeth Schlitt, of Camrose, Alberta, Canada.
F/O. Clarence Walter Pearce. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4190
Son of Walter W. Pearce and Letitia Pearce, of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada; husband of Grace M. Pearce, of St. Catharines.
P/O. Edward Addy Davis. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4191
Son of Edward M. Davis and Mary Catherine Davis; husband of June Anita Davis, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Sgt. Frederick Arthur Nichols. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4192
Son of John M. Nichols and Vera V. Nichols, of Belmont, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Sgt. William Allen Hobson. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4193
Son of Wilbert Vinton Hobson and Emiline Elvira Hobson, of Rochester, Alberta, Canada.
Sgt. Carlin Anthony Bannon. Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery Grave. 4210
Son of John P. Bannon and Catherine Bannon, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Additional information supplied by Mike Harrison. With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
