420530 - Unaccounted airmen - 30-5-1942

**COL BRUGGY** · 8th August 2009, 17:05

Hi Henk,

Just a little more on your 16 OTU men.

Warrant Officer Ernest Smith, flying a Wellington from No.16 O.T.U. at Upper Heyford, got into a spin in cumulo-nimbus cloud ten miles east of Southwold; at 2,000 feet he ordered his crew to bale out. They were still over the sea, but three of them went. One man, Sergeant Cuddington*, the tail gunner, didn't have time to get out, Smith pulled out of the spin at 200 feet, almost scraping the water as he brought his Wellington under control and climbed away. The three men who baled out had been within sight of of the coast as they parachuted down, but the most intensive search failed to find them and they were presumed lost at sea.

See:
The Thousand Plan:The Story of the First Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne.
Barker,Ralph.
Shrewsbury:Airlife,1992.
p.223

At least, you have a couple of names to work on.

*I recall reading about a Cuddington somehere, from memory, he was RCAF. (Possibly, CAN J/16758 P/O Leonard Frederick Cuddington DFC RCAF.)

Col.

**Henk Welting** · 8th August 2009, 17:42

Thanks Col; this must have been the said aircraft, although Allison mentions in his TSGNO (page 27) that only BAIRD baled out and aircraft landed with all other members of the crew safely at base. Search continues.
Regards,
Henk.

**Ross_McNeill** · 28th January 2012, 12:31

Anglesey Botha W5088 was from No.48 MU.

Pilot was injured, F/Sgt D C Wheeler 969464.

Form 1180 gives 1 injured, 1 killed so Clack from Col is the fatality.

Regards
Ross

**phill jones** · 6th February 2012, 15:16

Spitfire P7563 OF 53 OTU , was a non fatal one Pilot being SGT AM SPALDING 1313525 who was Injured

phill jones

**Henk Welting** · 18th February 2012, 13:28

Thanks Phill & Ross for info on Spitfire P7563 and Botha W5088. Excuse belated answer.
Regards,
Henk.

**wwrsimon** · 14th November 2017, 10:28

Hello

Sgt Horace P. PRICE - 621469 - the Gloucester Citizen of June 1st 1942 carried the following announcement:

PRICE - May 30, Sergt. Horace Price, R.A.F., at Hounslow Hospital, aged 21 years.

Not sure how that fits in with the fact his death was seemingly registered at Biggleswade.

Regards

Simon

**SeanLang** · 30th April 2019, 14:36

So I am Len Cuddington's grandson and while he never talked about it my grandmother and mom confirmed that story.

Originally Posted by COL BRUGGY

Hi Henk,

Just a little more on your 16 OTU men.

Warrant Officer Ernest Smith, flying a Wellington from No.16 O.T.U. at Upper Heyford, got into a spin in cumulo-nimbus cloud ten miles east of Southwold; at 2,000 feet he ordered his crew to bale out. They were still over the sea, but three of them went. One man, Sergeant Cuddington*, the tail gunner, didn't have time to get out, Smith pulled out of the spin at 200 feet, almost scraping the water as he brought his Wellington under control and climbed away. The three men who baled out had been within sight of of the coast as they parachuted down, but the most intensive search failed to find them and they were presumed lost at sea.

See:
The Thousand Plan:The Story of the First Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne.
Barker,Ralph.
Shrewsbury:Airlife,1992.
p.223

At least, you have a couple of names to work on.

*I recall reading about a Cuddington somehere, from memory, he was RCAF. (Possibly, CAN J/16758 P/O Leonard Frederick Cuddington DFC RCAF.)

Col.

**chunkynan** · 22nd December 2020, 02:42

I am trying to find the logbook of Len Cuddington to see if he recorded the aircraft code for R5759 on 23Sep42. Does anyone have a contact for the grandson.

Ken

**chunkynan** · 29th December 2020, 02:49

I am trying to find the logbook of Len Cuddington to see if he recorded the aircraft code for R5759 on 23Sep42. Does anyone have a contact for the grandson.

Ken