Catalina Z2148 19/01/1942. Yell
On 18th January 1942, Catalina Z2148 from RAF Castle Archdale with the Pilot Harry Goolden was tasked to hunt for Tirpitz off Norway.
While on patrol one of the engines failed
Flt Lt Goolden decided to head for RAF Sullom Voe, in Shetland.
The crew had radioed RAF Sullom Voe and asked for a flare path to be aid them in finding the base.
The aircraft circled out to sea off Fetlar until the flares were lit.
As they approached RAF Sullom Voe, the aircraft struggled to hold holding altitude and crashed into the hill of Arisdale on the island of Yell.
The aircraft slid to a halt, breaking up as it went, the fuel tanks ignited and burst into flames.
Flight Sergeant Lockyer got clear of the wreckage, but went back in to save Co-pilot Flight-Lieutenant Alexander Helme who he placed in a ditch to protect him from exploding ammunition and the possibility of the depth charge exploding.
Flt Sgt Lockyer then walked, without boots, for four miles to get help.
The local Home Guard had seen the explosion and proceeded to the crash site.
While on patrol one of the engines failed
Flt Lt Goolden decided to head for RAF Sullom Voe, in Shetland.
The crew had radioed RAF Sullom Voe and asked for a flare path to be aid them in finding the base.
The aircraft circled out to sea off Fetlar until the flares were lit.
As they approached RAF Sullom Voe, the aircraft struggled to hold holding altitude and crashed into the hill of Arisdale on the island of Yell.
The aircraft slid to a halt, breaking up as it went, the fuel tanks ignited and burst into flames.
Flight Sergeant Lockyer got clear of the wreckage, but went back in to save Co-pilot Flight-Lieutenant Alexander Helme who he placed in a ditch to protect him from exploding ammunition and the possibility of the depth charge exploding.
Flt Sgt Lockyer then walked, without boots, for four miles to get help.
The local Home Guard had seen the explosion and proceeded to the crash site.
CREW LOST
Pilot - Flt Lt. Harry Goolden
Navigator - P.O. Lyle George Schell R.C.A.F.
Wireless Operator / Air gunner - Sgt. Eugen B. J. A. Henowy
Flight engineer - Sgt. Alan Oscar Pitcher
Wireless operator / Air Gunner - Sgt. Leslie Albert Rowe
Wireless operator / Air Gunner - Sgt. Albert Roland Breakspear
Flight engineer - Sgt. Sinclair Irvine
SURVIVORS
Co Pilot - F.O. Alexander Helme
Radio Operator - Sgt. Daniel Ernest Crittall Lockyer
Aircraftman - Robert “Jock” Landsborough Richmond
Pilot - Flt Lt. Harry Goolden
Navigator - P.O. Lyle George Schell R.C.A.F.
Wireless Operator / Air gunner - Sgt. Eugen B. J. A. Henowy
Flight engineer - Sgt. Alan Oscar Pitcher
Wireless operator / Air Gunner - Sgt. Leslie Albert Rowe
Wireless operator / Air Gunner - Sgt. Albert Roland Breakspear
Flight engineer - Sgt. Sinclair Irvine
SURVIVORS
Co Pilot - F.O. Alexander Helme
Radio Operator - Sgt. Daniel Ernest Crittall Lockyer
Aircraftman - Robert “Jock” Landsborough Richmond
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St. Magnus Churchyard & Extension. Yell, Shetland Islands. Photo: Sarah E. Miller
Derbyshire Times - Friday 06 February 1942
FLIGHT-LIEUT. GOOLDEN, CHESTERFIELD PILOT, KIA IN ACTION ,
F/Lt. Harry Goolden. only son of Mrs. O. Goolden. 68. Rutland Rd. Chesterfield, and the late Mr. J. Goolden, has been reported killed during air operations on January 19th. Educated for some time at Chesterfield Grammar School and later at SheffieldUniversity, he was an architect by profession and at one time articled to Mr. W A Derbyshire Chesterfield. He was an A.R.I.B.A and took his diploma in architecture Before the outbreak of war he was employed by a London firm of architects. During his last leave he lectured to Cadets of 331 Squadron Chesterfield A.T.C. F/Lt. Goolden was piloting a flying boat when he was killed.
FLIGHT-LIEUT. GOOLDEN, CHESTERFIELD PILOT, KIA IN ACTION ,
F/Lt. Harry Goolden. only son of Mrs. O. Goolden. 68. Rutland Rd. Chesterfield, and the late Mr. J. Goolden, has been reported killed during air operations on January 19th. Educated for some time at Chesterfield Grammar School and later at SheffieldUniversity, he was an architect by profession and at one time articled to Mr. W A Derbyshire Chesterfield. He was an A.R.I.B.A and took his diploma in architecture Before the outbreak of war he was employed by a London firm of architects. During his last leave he lectured to Cadets of 331 Squadron Chesterfield A.T.C. F/Lt. Goolden was piloting a flying boat when he was killed.
Flight-Sergeant Daniel Ernest Crittal Lockyer
Shetland News - Thursday 16 April 1942
PLANE CRASH IN SHETLAND RECALLED. B.E.M. FOR A FLIGHT-SERGEANT.
Flight-Sergeant Daniel Ernest Crittal Lockyer, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal, was a member of the crew of an aircraft which crashed in Shetland while returning from an operational flight one night in January last. The official statement issued when the award was announced last Friday, stated that in spite of exploding ammunition, and knowing that a depth charge was in the aircraft, Lockyer extricated an officer from the blazing wreckage and rolled him to safety, He then returned, but was unable to rescue the other members of the crew owing to the flames. Without boots and in complete darkness, a strong gale, and sleet and rain, Lockyer, who had hurt an ankle, tramped four miles over boggy country to get A few additional details may now be given. Lockyer is a modest young Irishman, 22 years of age, The weather conditions at the time of the accident were the worst possible—a gale of wind, with snow and ice forming on the machine. It was also pitch dark at the time. The machine was running on one engine and was gradually losing height. After flying over the island for some time, the pilot went out to sea again, as he did not know the height of the hills; the machine was flying “blind” at the time, and the risk of crashing into a hill side with 1000 gallons of petrol in the tanks was very serious. Returning to the islands again, the ‘plane narrowly missed a high cliff (believed to be Noss) and rose over the top of it not & moment too soon.
CRASHED ON NORTHERN HILLSIDE.
About four a.m. the machine crashed in a crevice in the middle of an expansive hill in a northern island, and its bottom was ripped away. One man was thrown out 30 yards and another 15 yards: the rest were trapped in the cockpit. Lockyer was one of the former, and his flying boots and stockings were blown off his feet. He was badly dazed, and when he came round the aircraft was burning furiously,. He could not get near the starboard side for flames, but on going to the port side, he found the engineer dead and the second pilot still alive. He succeeded in rescuing the latter from the cockpit, and after doing so rolled him into a burn to protect him from the exploding ammunition. This officer was unconscious at the time. The three survivors were Lockyer, the second pilot and one aircraftsman. All the others perished in the plane.
FOUR MILES TRAMP BAREFOOTED.
Walking in his bare feet, Lockyer tramped over snow-covered, rough and stoney moorland for a distance of four miles before he found a house. The occupant was wakened, and did all he could for the Sergeant. Meantime, it became known in the island that a machine was in difficulties and that it had eventually crashed somewhere. Homeguardsmen and others were soon out searching in the darkness all over the wide hills, and some of them walked as much as 15 miles before they came on the wreckage, The injured airmen received medical attention, and the dead were buried on the island, after waiting in vain for several days for the weather to moderate to take the coffins to the mainland. This tragic incident of the war is one that will long be remembered by the people living on the island where it happened.
PLANE CRASH IN SHETLAND RECALLED. B.E.M. FOR A FLIGHT-SERGEANT.
Flight-Sergeant Daniel Ernest Crittal Lockyer, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal, was a member of the crew of an aircraft which crashed in Shetland while returning from an operational flight one night in January last. The official statement issued when the award was announced last Friday, stated that in spite of exploding ammunition, and knowing that a depth charge was in the aircraft, Lockyer extricated an officer from the blazing wreckage and rolled him to safety, He then returned, but was unable to rescue the other members of the crew owing to the flames. Without boots and in complete darkness, a strong gale, and sleet and rain, Lockyer, who had hurt an ankle, tramped four miles over boggy country to get A few additional details may now be given. Lockyer is a modest young Irishman, 22 years of age, The weather conditions at the time of the accident were the worst possible—a gale of wind, with snow and ice forming on the machine. It was also pitch dark at the time. The machine was running on one engine and was gradually losing height. After flying over the island for some time, the pilot went out to sea again, as he did not know the height of the hills; the machine was flying “blind” at the time, and the risk of crashing into a hill side with 1000 gallons of petrol in the tanks was very serious. Returning to the islands again, the ‘plane narrowly missed a high cliff (believed to be Noss) and rose over the top of it not & moment too soon.
CRASHED ON NORTHERN HILLSIDE.
About four a.m. the machine crashed in a crevice in the middle of an expansive hill in a northern island, and its bottom was ripped away. One man was thrown out 30 yards and another 15 yards: the rest were trapped in the cockpit. Lockyer was one of the former, and his flying boots and stockings were blown off his feet. He was badly dazed, and when he came round the aircraft was burning furiously,. He could not get near the starboard side for flames, but on going to the port side, he found the engineer dead and the second pilot still alive. He succeeded in rescuing the latter from the cockpit, and after doing so rolled him into a burn to protect him from the exploding ammunition. This officer was unconscious at the time. The three survivors were Lockyer, the second pilot and one aircraftsman. All the others perished in the plane.
FOUR MILES TRAMP BAREFOOTED.
Walking in his bare feet, Lockyer tramped over snow-covered, rough and stoney moorland for a distance of four miles before he found a house. The occupant was wakened, and did all he could for the Sergeant. Meantime, it became known in the island that a machine was in difficulties and that it had eventually crashed somewhere. Homeguardsmen and others were soon out searching in the darkness all over the wide hills, and some of them walked as much as 15 miles before they came on the wreckage, The injured airmen received medical attention, and the dead were buried on the island, after waiting in vain for several days for the weather to moderate to take the coffins to the mainland. This tragic incident of the war is one that will long be remembered by the people living on the island where it happened.
British Empire Medal.
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