David John Bassett

Flight Sergeant David John Bassett - Royal air Force 

Flight Sergeant David John Bassett served with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and tragically lost his life on 10^th September 1941 while undertaking operational training.

Service and Aircraft Accident

RAF Finningley

On the night of 10^th September 1941, David took off from RAF Finningley, a major Bomber Command training station in Yorkshire. He was participating in a night bombing training exercise, a vital phase in preparing aircrews for operational sorties over enemy territory.

Vickers Wellington

Official crash-site records identify the aircraft as a Vickers Wellington operating with No. 25 Operational Training Unit, which was based at RAF Finningley at the time. During the night exercise, the bomber struck farm buildings at Nocton Delph, approximately one mile from the River Witham and close to the village of Southrey, Lincolnshire. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the impact, and all six crew members were killed instantly.

Sources note that the aircraft collided with the buildings while flying at low altitude in darkness—conditions that made such training flights extremely hazardous. Although the exact cause of the accident remained unclear, the tragedy highlights the immense risks faced by aircrews during intensive wartime training.

RAF Finningley During the Second World War

RAF Finningley, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, was constructed in the mid-1930s and taken over by RAF Bomber Command by 1937. During the Second World War it became a major training station, hosting Operational Training Units (OTUs) that prepared aircrews for front-line operations. The station trained pilots, navigators, wireless operators, and air gunners in night flying, bombing techniques, and emergency procedures. Long hours, blackout conditions, and overloaded wartime schedules meant that accidents were sadly frequent, and many airmen—like Flight Sergeant Bassett—lost their lives before reaching an operational squadron.

The Vickers Wellington Bomber

The Vickers Wellington, introduced in 1938, was a vital medium bomber during the early years of the war. Designed by Barnes Wallis, its distinctive geodetic airframe gave the aircraft remarkable strength, enabling it to withstand heavy damage. Serving as the backbone of Bomber Command’s early night offensive, the Wellington later became central to RAF training, with many Operational Training Units using the type to prepare crews for combat. It was in one of these aircraft that Flight Sergeant David John Bassett undertook his final flight.

The Crew of Wellington X9872 and Their Burial Places

All six men aboard the Wellington were killed in the crash. Their names and burial locations are:

• Flight Sergeant David John Bassett, RAF – buried at Oystermouth Cemetery, Swansea
• Sergeant Frederick Victor Martin, RAF – buried at St. Martin Churchyard, Guernsey
• Sergeant William George Kilsby, RAF – buried at Streatham Cemetery, London
• Sergeant George Frederick Large, RAF – buried at St. James the Less Churchyard, Dorset
• Flight Sergeant Thomas Highton, RAF – buried at Lancaster Cemetery, Lancashire
• Sergeant Matthew Joseph Byrne, RAF – buried at Yew Tree Roman Catholic Cemetery, Liverpool

These six men trained together and lost their lives together. Their sacrifice, made far from the front lines, reflects the dangers inherent in preparing for operational flying during the war. They are remembered with honour by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and by their home communities.

Early Life and Family

Very few records survive regarding David’s early life, and he does not appear in the 1921 Census. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that he was born in 1915, the son of David John Bassett and Selina May Bassett.

In 1938, he married Jean Pamela Sheila Bassett of Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.

Funeral and Commemoration

South Wales Daily Post

David John Bassett
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - findagrave

The South Wales Daily Post reported on David’s funeral, which took place at Oystermouth Cemetery, Swansea, where he was laid to rest with full respect and ceremony. His grave is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, ensuring his service and memory endure.

Flight Sergeant David John Bassett is honoured for his dedication, skill, and sacrifice during one of the most demanding periods in the history of the Royal Air Force.