Sgt John Thomas Mellish

Hi

Yes, I did see the memorial, and a fine one it is too. . I was actually in the area walking, but I made a detour to Creswell because I’d seen an article in the local paper about the 1950 mine disaster , and was looking for a memorial to it in the church graveyard:

http://www.healeyhero.co.uk/rescue/pits/Cresswell/cres_menu.htm

This is when I came across Sgt Mellish’s headstone. The miners memorial (and some of their graves) aren’t actually in the churchyard though – i found them in a more modern cemetery about a mile away. I noticed there was a Mellish killed in that disaster – William aged 55. I wonder if this was John’s father or uncle? Very sad

Hi

I was wandering around Creswell in Derbyshire today and saw a CWGC headstone to this airman in the local churchyard – he was an air gunner. He doesn’t appear in my list of operational Bomber Command losses. I wonder if anybody else can provide information on the circumstances of his death

Thanks in anticipation

As a slight aside, while you were in the area did you visit the memorial in the car park of the Creswell Crags Visitor Centre to the 86 OTU crew from Wellington HE821?

Hi Pete

Thanks very much for the info

Regards

Ian

As a start point for you, the Unaccounted Airmen thread on the RAFCommands Forum has him listed as:

MELLISH, John Thomas – Sgt (A/G) – Wellington X – HF480 – 11 OTU.

Also just found this information:

T/O 1955 hrs from Westcott on nickelling operation to France using call sign MZL E. Having safely completed their primary objective the crew then proceeded, as instructed, on a navigation exercise. While on this phase the Wellington ran low on petrol and the crew called up Little Horwood and requested permission to make a precautionary landing. En route, having been given clearance the engines began to splutter and the order to bale out was given. Only two were able to comply before the bomber dived to the ground at 0235 hrs, crashing amongst trees just short of Little Horwood’s runway and broke up

Regards

Pete