Polish Aircrew 1943 Dunmoor Hill
13.5 miles away
Northumberland
Cheviot Hills - Wellington Z1078 Memorial
Cheviot Hills, Northumberland
Comprehensive Record
The Memorial
It is maintained by Northumberland National Park Authority.
Type
Cheviot Airmen Memorial in College Valley
Inscription
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LocationEstimated Location
Cheviot Hills, Northumberland, Northumberland
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What Happened
Wellington Z1078 departed RAF Snaith as one of fourteen aircraft tasked with bombing Hamburg on the night of 15 January 1942. The aircraft caught fire immediately; Sergeant Thomas Walter Irving Sgt was killed on impact. Three survivors — Pilot Officer Bertram Alexander Macdonald, Sergeant Laurence Warren Hunt, and Sergeant Frederick George Maple — were found unconscious near the burning wreckage by local farmer John Dagg, who climbed the hill guided by the smell of burning and exploding ammunition. Sergeants Charles Frederick Glover and William Henry Allworth were discovered sheltering behind a rock; Dagg and two shepherds brought all five down through a blizzard.
Community Connection
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Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
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Share remembrance informationAircraft & Operation Details
Αιει Φθανομεν (Aiei Phthanomen)Aircraft Type
Wellington Ic
Serial Number
Z1078
Squadron
150 SquadronStation
RAF Snaith
Date of Loss
1942-01-15
Operation Type
Operational
Target
Hamburg
Cause of Loss
Navigation aids failed on return from Hamburg; aircraft drifted north and struck The Cheviot at 1,500 ft in snow clouds
Crew (6 members)
About the Crew
Sgt Laurence Warren Hunt(age 20)Pilot
Survived the crash but died of injuries the following day. New Zealander serving with the RNZAF.
Sgt Hunt was a 20-year-old New Zealander serving with the RNZAF. He died from his injuries the day after the crash.
P/O Bertram Alexander Macdonald(age 21)2nd Pilot
Survived the crash with injuries. Canadian serving with the RCAF.
Sgt William Henry AllworthW/Op Air Gunner
Survived the crash with injuries.
Sgt Thomas Walter Irving Sgt(age 23)Observer
Killed on impact. New Zealander serving with the RNZAF.
Sgt Irving was a 23-year-old New Zealander.
Sgt Frederick George Maple(age 33)W/Op Air Gunner
Survived the crash but died of injuries the following day.
At 33, the oldest crew member.
Sgt Charles Frederick GloverAir Gunner
Survived the crash with injuries. One of three survivors rescued by local farmer John Dagg.
Memorial Care
military
Organisation
Northumberland National Park Authority
Further Reading
ACIARetrieved 2026-03-23
Detailed investigation record. 150 Squadron, RAF Snaith. Part of 14-aircraft force attacking Hamburg.
What you'll find: Explore detailed investigation records on 150 Squadron's role in RAF Snaith's attack on Hamburg.
150 Squadron, RAF SnaithNavigation aids failed on return
NELSAM / WtdWhdRetrieved 2026-03-23
Crash site details. John Dagg rescue documented.
What you'll find: Detailed crash site information and John Dagg's heroic rescue account at this memorial link.
John Dagg rescue documentedThree crew killed, three survived
Northumberland National ParkRetrieved 2026-03-23
Walking route from Dunsdale to West Hill passes the crash site.
What you'll find: Explore memorial honoring life lost in tragic car accident at Cheviot Hills.
Walking route passes crash site
Nearby Memorials
Sources
ACIA (retrieved 2026-03-23)
NELSAM / WtdWhd (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Northumberland National Park (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-23
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