Hudson N7231 near Lythe.

In the early hours of the 17th April 1940 three 220 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight over the North Sea and to carry out a number of duties with the main task being a patrol of the area of the "Lester Fjord" in Norway. They took off at 02.25hrs but because of low cloud over Norway nothing was seen. This aircraft then made an unsuccessful bombing attack on a German supply ship and obtained photographs of a Norwegian Port. On return to England the aircraft ran low on fuel as a result of carrying out all these tasks and making it back to base was not possible. The pilot force landed the aircraft at 10.20hrs three miles north of Whitby in what was described as adverse weather conditions. The aircraft was not damaged and was later flown out of the selected landing area. 60 MU ORB recorded their involvement which stated "18th April 1940. Inspected Hudson N7231 at Whitby. Cat.M(u). Flown off 22nd April 1940". Using the photograph of the aircraft on the ground after the landing the site would roughly be around half a mile west of Lythe as Lythe church can be seen in the photograph.

Pilot - F/O Ronald Nicholas Selley RAF (39689), of St.Lucia Estuary, Zululand, Natal, South Africa.

Pilot - P/O Lloyd Bennett RAF (43194), of Minsterworth, Gloucestershire.

Wireless Operator - AC Benjamin Lloyd-Jones RAF (625097), of Cellan, Cardiganshire.

Air Gunner - LAC Hopkins.


Hudson N7231 was built to contract 791587/38 by Lockheed-Vega at Burbank, California and was delivered to the UK by sea, arriving in May 1939. After erection it was flown to 9 MU on 30th June 1939. After a period of storage the aircraft was issued to 220 Squadron at Thornaby on 24th September 1939 when they began to re-equip with Hudsons in September 1939. It suffered Cat.M(u) damage in the above incident near Whitby on 17th April 1940. It would later be lost as Cat.W/FA on 11th July 1940 when it collided with a balloon cable at Boldon Colliery, County Durham with fatal results. This saw it then struck off charge on 29th July 1940.

Ronald Selley was born at Durban in 1917 and was educated at Michaelhouse School, Natal. He sailed on the "Stirling Castle" from Capetown to Southampton in late 1936 and on the ship's passenger list gave his occupation as being "air pilot" so has probably done some flying in South Africa. He entered the Royal Air Force as a pupil pilot in 1937 and was granted a commission in the RAF on 9th May 1937 as Acting P/O on probation. It was common for Acting Pilot Officers on probation to be graded as Pilot Officers on probation a few months after their commissions but in his case no date for this has been located. He was comfirmed in his appointment and graded as P/O on 8th March 1938 and was later promoted to F/O on 8th December 1939. F/O Selley had a total of 514 hours flying time when this incident near Whitby occurred, with 214 hours being on the Hudson type. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 14th June 1940, for work carried during the Dunkirk evacuations, the citation reads.. "In June 1940, this officer was captain of one of a flight of three aircraft engaged in protecting shipping evacuating the British Expeditionary Force. A formation of some forty Junkers Ju87's was encountered, and were immediately attacked. Flight Lieutenant Selley shot down two of the enemy aircraft with his front guns. By skilful manoeuvring he also enabled his rear gunner to shoot down a third and damage a further two enemy aircraft."

He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 11th July 1940 and was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 8th December 1940. Around the turn of the new year he was posted to 224 Squadron but was sadly killed on 5th March 1941 ferrying Hudson N7315 to Sumburgh from Leuchars, the aircraft suffered an engine failure and crashed near Wick in Northern Scotland with the loss of the four airmen on board. He was twenty five years old and was cremated at Warriston Crematorium in Edinburgh and is commemorated on Panel 4 on it's walls. Also on N7315 was a high ranking officer, one AVM Charles Dempster Breese CB AFC whose son was recorded as missing just over a month later while flying with 210 Squadron.


Lloyd Bennett was born on his parents farm at Minsterworth, in the Westbury on Severn district of Gloucestershire in 1911. After attending the Sir Thomas Rich School in Gloucester had had a brief civilian career before joining the RAF as an apprentice clerk in the record office at RAF Ruislip in 1929. The following year he was posted to the prototype aircraft carrier HMS Glorious. Over the years that followed he rose through the ranks and eventually received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st April 1940. For service with 220 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 22nd October 1940 though no citation for his award has been located. He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 1st April 1941 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st April 1942. Much later in the War he was serving with 1409 Flight flying Mosquitos when he was awarded the Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross, Gazetted on 6th November 1945, the Citation was published in Air Ministry Bulletin 20086 and reads.. "Flight Lieutenant Bennett has completed his second tour of duty, his first being with Coastal Command when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. This officer has been responsible for bringing back the most detailed weather information from over heavily defended areas and has secured some excellent target photographs. He has frequently operated in extremely bad weather and it has been his fine airmanship and skillful handling of his aircraft that enabled him to land in time to deliver his weather reports. Flight Lieutenant Bennett has always shown courage and coolness of a high order."

Post War he remained in the RAF and served as an instructor with the CFS before taking a transfer to the Aircraft Control Branch on 5th January 1947, he was granted the rank of F/Lt and later promoted to S/Ldr on 1st November 1947. He retired from the RAF on 4th June 1961 after a long, fine and distinguished period of service to his country. He died in September 2009 in the Cheltenham area.


Benjamin Lloyd-Jones was sadly killed on 5th August 1941 and was still serving with 220 Squadron. He was flying in Hudson AM625 which left Wick to undertake a "South Bert" Patrol and the aircraft failed to return. He was twenty two years old and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. His brother Evan was also killed on active service on 20th April 1942 serving with the RASC.


AC Hopkins took part in the search for the German ship, Altmark, on 16th February 1940. His full identity is not yet known.

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