1942 Ruislip Wellington accident


The 1942 Ruislip Wellington accident occurred on 18 October 1942 when a Vickers Wellington 1C medium bomber of No. 311 Squadron RAF crashed near South Ruislip station, Middlesex, on approach to RAF Northolt. The crash killed all 15 people aboard the aircraft, and six civilians on the ground including four children.

Flight

311 Squadron was a Coastal Command unit based at RAF Talbenny in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Almost all of its personnel were Free Czechoslovaks serving in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After a successful operation by the squadron they were invited to London for a de-brief. On 18 October 1942 Wellington serial number T2564, code letters KX-T, was flown by P/O František Bulis with a crew of six and nine passengers. Everyone aboard was Czechoslovak, apart from one Belgian technician.

Crash and fatalities

On approach to RAF Northolt at 16:08 the Wellington crashed near South Ruislip station, bursting into flames on impact. All the crew and passengers were killed, along with six people on the ground: two women each with two children.
All but one of the crew are buried in the Czechoslovak section of Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. The Reays and the Streets are buried in St Nicholas' parish churchyard, Brockenhurst.

Inquest

As well as a service inquiry an inquest was held at Uxbridge, Middlesex into the deaths of the two sisters and their four children. The aircraft was deemed to have been serviceable and not overloaded. A witness at Northolt said it was flying quite normally: "It made a quarter circle, gradually losing height. Then it appeared to lose height rather more quickly and disappeared behind some houses". The Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.