Crew of Wellington LN281
0.9 miles away
Leicestershire
Melton Mowbray Wellington Memorial
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Comprehensive Record
Photographs
The Memorial
It is maintained by Melton Mowbray Town Estate.
Type
Stone monument
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, Leicestershire
what3words: ///cracks.facing.actors
What Happened
Taking off on a cross country exercise from RAF Market Harborough in Leicestershire at 15:45 hrs.
Instructors on the flight were the experienced pilot, F/O. Norman Owen DFC and navigator, P/O. Sydney Guiver.
During the flight the starboard engine failed - Wellington overflew the airfield at some 1000 ft and commended a large circuit in order to land the aircraft.
At around 19:30 hrs, Wellington LN281 stalled, coming down in a field off Saxby road, east of Melton Mowbray. The aircraft immediately
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
An annual commemorative service is held on 13th August.
Annual Service(Not specified)
An annual service to remember the crew members who lost their lives.
Aircraft & Operation Details
Aircraft Type
Wellington
Serial Number
LN281
Squadron
14 OTUStation
Market Harborough
Date of Loss
1944-08-13
Crew (5 members)
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Melton Mowbray Town Estate
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Melton Mowbray Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Melton Mowbray Town Estateparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Aircrewremembered.comRetrieved 2026-03-24
Detailed account of Wellington LN281's loss on 13 August 1944. F/O Norman Owen DFC was an experienced pilot who had completed 36 operational sorties as a Lancaster pilot with 207 Squadron at RAF Spilsby before becoming an instructor at 14 OTU Market Harborough. The starboard engine failed during a cross-country exercise and bombing detail; too low to bail out, Owen attempted an emergency circuit on one engine but the aircraft stalled and crashed between Saxby Road and Thorpe Road, four miles from Melton airfield.
What you'll find: The detailed account of Wellington LN281's loss on 13 August 1944, honoring F/O Norman Owen DFC.
Owen completed 36 ops with 207 Sqn at RAF SpilsbyDFC for full operational tour on LancastersStarboard engine failureAircraft stalled attempting single-engine circuitCrashed between Saxby Road and Thorpe RoadSgt George Henry Raby was sole survivor
RAFA Melton Mowbray BranchRetrieved 2026-03-23
RAFA branch page documenting the Wellington LN281 memorial and the crew who died. Provides context about the memorial's significance to the Melton Mowbray community.
What you'll find: The Wellington LN281 Memorial at Melton Mowbray: honoring fallen crew members' legacy in this poignant tribute.
RAFA involvement in memorial upkeepLocal community remembrance
TracesOfWar.comRetrieved 2026-03-23
International war heritage database entry for the Wellington LN281 memorial at Melton Mowbray, with location details and photographs.
What you'll find: Wellington LN281 Memorial's history, location, and images in this comprehensive war heritage database entry.
Documented on international heritage database
HistoryFareRetrieved 2026-03-23
HistoryFare research articles covering the Wellington LN281 crash, 14 OTU operations, and the broader context of training accidents at RAF Melton Mowbray during WW2.
What you'll find: Explore HistoryFare's in-depth analysis on Wellington LN281 crash, OTU operations, and WWII RAF Melton Mowbray training accidents.
Training accident context documented14 OTU operational history covered
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Aircrewremembered.com (retrieved 2026-03-24)
RAFA Melton Mowbray Branch (retrieved 2026-03-23)
TracesOfWar.com (retrieved 2026-03-23)
HistoryFare (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-21
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