Vickers Wellington DV664 took off on 28th November 1943 on a non-operational bombing practise flight. The bomber came down at 1220hrs, around 100 yards north east of The Strand, Portballintrae, Co. Antrim.
Witnesses told how the plane from R.A.F. No. 7 Operational Training Unit bombed the target from a low height before turning starboard. At a height of around 200 feet above the sea, the bomber completed the turn before diving into the water off the Co. Antrim coast.
Remembering the crew of Wellington DV664
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knight | John Burton | Flying Officer | Navigator | RAF 132409. |
| Waite | Phil | Flying Officer | 1st Pilot | RAFVR 133073. |
| Bennet | Geoffrey Albert | Sergeant | 2nd Pilot | RAFVR 1323266. |
| Stout | Cyril Albert | Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAFVR 1321728. |
| Marshall | James Wilfred | Flight Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAAF 409167. |
| Woods | Leslie | Flight Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAAF 414859. |
With high winds and stormy seas, little evidence remained to show what caused the crash. Thinking at the time was that the pilot stalled Vickers Wellington DV664 in completing the manoeuvre. None of the crew survived and because of the conditions at sea, several crew members have no known graves. The bodies of Flight Sergeant Woods and Sergeant Stout washed ashore.