Harold Beddall
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Son of Herbert and Annie Beddall; husband of Marjorie Beddall, of Plumtree.
21 March 1941 Wellington R3288 150 Sqn. Take off from RAF Newton to bomb U-boat base at Lorient. The aircraft reached the coast of Britanny in thick cloud. The wireless operator, Sgt Kirk, reported that the radio was inoperable and so without being able to accurately navigate to the target, the pilot F/O Elliot turned the Wellington around. The bombs were jettisoned over the channel. The aircraft was engaged by a Bf 110, which was eventually seen to go down. During the evasive manoeuvres, the navigator lost dead reckoning and gave the pilot an approximate course. After another 1.5 hours, the pilot brought the Wellington down from 6000ft to 2000ft, to see if any lights could be spotted. The mountains were seen for a few brief moments and the pilot was forced to aim for the Crimea Pass whilst putting the Wellington into a climb. R3288 crashed into Moel Farlwyd.
F/O Charles Elliot
P/O Roland Parkhurst
Sgt Harold Beddall
Sgt John Killen
Sgt Lewis Kirk - all killed.
Sgt Peter Martlew - injured, was found with a broken leg by a local Policeman still in the rear gun turret which had been torn off in the crash.
Unknown
Photo of Harold Beddall