Thorpe Morieux (1) 42-3108 Memorial
13.3 miles away
Suffolk
Little Yeldham Wellington Memorial
Little Yeldham, Essex
Comprehensive Record
The Memorial
It is maintained by Little Yeldham Parish Council.
Type
Monument
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Little Yeldham, Essex, Essex
what3words: ///commands.alert.poets
What Happened
On 11th April 1944 the crew of this 30 Operational Training Unit aircraft took off from Hixon airfield to undertake a night cross-country training flight. The course of the flight took them over the Goole area and at 21.00hrs the aircraft flying through cloud when it dived into ground. The aircraft crashed into a field near Sand Hall Farm, around a mile south-east of Goole and unfortunately all on board were killed. This webpage is very basic but as learn more about the incident and crew I will develop it. Pilot - P/O Charles Henry George Gale RAFVR (174617), aged 31, of Herringfleet. Buried Herringfleet Churchyard, Suffolk. Navigator - P/O Francis George Newell RAFVR (168745), aged 34, of Sands, High Wycombe. Buried High Wycombe Cemetery, Buckinghamshire.
Community Connection
Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
Memorial Service
A service held by Howden Youth Centre members as part of a Duke of Edinburgh Award project in May 1999 to confirm the crash location. Assisted by historians Ken Reast, Albert Pritchard and Eric Barton.
Beaufighter T3088 of 63 OTU(02/01/1944)
Starboard tyre burst on take off from Honiley; undercarriage retracted to stop. Pupil pilot Sgt S Withingham was unhurt.
Oxford LW820 of 18 PAFU(03/01/1944)
Flew into a radio mast at night at Hillmorton. Pilot F/Sgt G B Hollings RAAF was killed.
Mosquito LR259 of 464 Squadron(06/01/1944)
Hit the ground and a hangar while beating up Chipping Warden airfield. The pilot, F/Sgt K R Russell RAAF and navigator, W/O E R Lumsdaine were both killed.
Aircraft & Operation Details
Aircraft Type
Wellington
Serial Number
HF471
Squadron
30 OTU
Station
Hixon
Date of Loss
1944-04-11
Crew (9 members)
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Little Yeldham Parish Council
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Wickford & District Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Little Yeldham Parish Councilparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Yorkshire AircraftRetrieved 2026-03-23
Records Wellington HF471 of 30 OTU as having crashed during a training flight. One crew member, Sgt Ronald Victor Smith (aged 21), was the wireless operator/air gunner and was buried at Little Yeldham Churchyard, Essex -- suggesting the aircraft crashed in or near the village. Plt Off Charles Henry Gale received his commission on 6 April 1944, shortly before the fatal flight.
What you'll find: The memorial honoring Sgt Ronald Victor Smith's tragic loss in a training flight crash.
Sgt Ronald Victor Smith aged 21, buried Little Yeldham ChurchyardGale commissioned 6 April 1944, days before crash
Aviation Archaeology (Midlands)Retrieved 2026-03-23
The Midlands Aircraft Recovery Group's 1944 crash list includes Wellington HF471 among the training losses from 30 OTU at RAF Hixon in Staffordshire. The unit suffered significant attrition during the training programme, with crashes occurring across a wide area of central and eastern England.
What you'll find: Details about the 1944 Wellington HF471 aircraft loss site at Little Yeldham Wellington Memorial.
Listed in MARG 1944 crash records30 OTU based at RAF Hixon, Staffordshire
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Yorkshire Aircraft (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Aviation Archaeology (Midlands) (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph Essex (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-21
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