Wellington Z1078 was returning to RAF Snaith,Yorkshire from a raid on

the city of Hamburg,Germany, when in heavy cloud and with all radio aids

inoperative, they became lost and flew too far North over the deadly clutches

of the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland.

At around 23.45 hours, Z1078 was over North-East England by which time

heavy snow showers were being encountered and visibility must have been

down to almost zero, the crew unable to make radio contact must have

hastened to drop below cloud to find their position,perhaps having realised

they were too far north, Unaware of the dangerous hills below. 

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Local man Arch Guthrie was on his way home from a dance in the village of

Wooler that night and heard the sound of the low flying aircraft, when he

glanced through the driving snow & high winds he saw the plane heading south

and soon after a large orange glow filled the sky. Z1078 had struck the North

side of a  location known as West Hill in the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland,

two of the crew lay dead, whilst a 3rd lay seriously injured, 3 fortunately for the

moment were lucky to have survived. However, lady luck would deal at least two

of the three survivors very bad hands indeed, for Sgt Allworth who at this point

in time was a Wireless/Air Gunner, went on to train as a pilot and whilst flying

back to RAF Elsham Wolds on 10th October 1942, his aircraft Wellington BK311

lost control in a strong gust of wind, the aircraft hit the ground with considerable

force and burst into flames, of the 6 crew only one, the rear gunner Sgt Brown

survived, Sgt Allworth died of injuries.

       A similar fate awaited P/O MacDonald as you will see below. So it would

appear that of the 6 crew of Z1078, only one ended the war, Sgt C.F.Glover who

left the RAF  in 1946 died in retirement aged 75 in 1993.