Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou
We will remember them.

In 1942 on 15th October, in one of the fields to the west of Maplebeck (grid ref SK696613) within the land of Brecks Farm, part of the Duke Fitzwilliam Estate, a Vickers Wellington Bomber Mark 1C NoDV717 aero plane crashed, killing all five of the occupants.

Operations records Book..Ossington 14(P) AFU report for Oct 15th 1942
 
All of the crew members were Royal New Zealand Air Force service men who had enlisted from the other side of the world to defend the freedom of the British Isles and her allies against the Luftwaffe.

They were on a training flight from the 11th Operational Training Unit, RAF Westcott in Buckinghamshire.

Sgt. Richard John Fuller	(21)	Navigator	411969
Sgt. Vincent Xavier  Kirby	(23)	Pilot	414640
Sgt. John Llewellyn Lloyd	(22)	Observer	413438
Sgt. Edward Alexander McCord	(26)	Wireless Operator	413264
Sgt. Ivan Raymond Styles	(27)	Air Gunner	413282

Sgt. McCord was taken to Ireland for burial in Ardagh, in County Longford, his colleagues are interred locally in Ollerton Cemetery.

The world has commemorated the end of the ‘war to end all wars’ 11th November 1918 let us not forget those who gave everything 24 years later.

77 years later it is time that we honour their service to the Allied Powers of World War Two and in particular to Great Britain. It is proposed that Maplebeck should erect a plaque recognizing their sacrifice, and that it be placed next to the Thankful Village plaque presented to the village in 2014. We will also place a small plaque at the actual site in the field.

The service will be held on Sunday 28th April 2019 11:30am Cannon E Neale will officiate, all are wecome. Blessing with photos

Maplebeck may not have lost service personnel in either of the major world conflicts but no one should be forgotten, wherever they lost their lives.

Posted November 8th 2018