On 18th December 1941 this 78 Squadron aircraft took off from Croft airfield at 15.53hrs for an operational flight to attack Brest, France. On their return to Yorkshire they were unable to contact base and after becoming lost whilst flying in bad visibility they descended to try and work out their position. At 22.50hrs the aircraft flew into high ground near a rock formation above Appletreewick called Simon Seat and an engine caught fire as a result of the crash. This fire was put out by the crew before they sought help with none being seriously injured. The area of the crash is said to have been in an area known locally as the Barden Peat Pits. I searched for the crash site twice in 2008 but have still to locate where the aircraft came down. It could be that the area is still an active peat cutting area and the ground has been dug out and the site now shows no trace of the aircraft.
The rear gunner later gave an account of this, his first operational flight, stating.. "our engines cut right over the target, we were at 18,000 feet and we fell to 4000 and all the time we were caught in searchlights. The flak got us as we came down and wrecked the instrument panel. By a miracle the engines picked up again and we weaved out of the searchlights and made for home. But with no instruments we got lost and we broke cloud and crashed into a hillside in the Pennine ranges. the kite burst into flames but we all managed to get clear."
This Whitley was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was received by 6 MU on 12th October 1941. It was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft on 19th October 1941. It required a repair on site by a team from Marshalls on 6th November 1941 and was returned to 78 Squadron on 22nd November 1941. As a result of the crash at Simon Seat on 18th December 1941 Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was written off. The aircraft was struck off charge on 27th December 1941.
Pilot - P/O John Francis Beadle RAFVR (68814).
Second Pilot - Sgt David Reid Cox RCAF (R/65319). Slightly injured.
Observer - P/O R Franklin. (Possibly P/O Robert William Franklin RAFVR (105182)).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Bernard H White RCAF (R/798551).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Michael Gale RAFVR (990172).
Air Gunner - Sgt Royal Frank Selwood Kendall RAAF (406549).
Bernard White was from Newfoundland. The photograph of him above was taken in 1945. My thanks to his son, Mr Bob White, for this photograph.
John Beadle was born on 9th May 1914 in Surrey. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th June 1941. He left 78 Squadron in February 1942. He later rose through F/O to F/Lt (war subs) on 14th June 1943 and survived the War having flown with 158 Squadron. He remained in the RAF in the post-war period and relinquished his commission in the RAF Reserve on 9th May 1959 but retained his F/Lt rank. He died in Portsmouth on 7th September 1999.
P/O Franklin left 78 Squadron in January 1942. It is possible that he was the P/O Robert William Franklin RAFVR (105182) as listed above and if correct then he was recorded as missing on 27th March 1942 while flying an SOE flight to Holland in Whitley T4166 with 138 Squadron. He was twenty six years old.
David Cox was born on 3rd August 1918 in Isaac's Harbour, Nova Scotia and was the son of Harry Joseph and Lucette Emma (nee Reid) Cox. He enlisted for RCAF service in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 17th August 1940 and after training in Canada he was awarded his Pilot's Wings on 3rd July 1941. He was posted to the UK soon after and trained at 10 O.T.U. before posting to 78 Squadron on 19th October 1941. He would later complete his Tour. He was sadly killed near Wetherby on 14th April 1942 when 1652 Conversion Unit Halifax L9576 crashed whilst on a training flight flying on only two engines. Sadly all nine on board were killed. He was still only twenty three years old and is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Robert Gale was born on 16th January 1921 at Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley. He received a commission in May 1943. He was killed on 8th April 1945 flying in 466 Squadron Halifax LW172 crashed at Kirkburn Grange, Yorkshire while trying to land at Driffield airfield on return from an operational flight in poor weather. This loss I have detailed on it's own webpage. He is buried at Roundhay (St.John) Churchyard, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Royal Kendall was born on 23rd February 1912 at Kaniva, Victoria, Australia. His father was killed in September 1917 in France. Royal Kendall enlisted for RAAF service in Perth on 1st February 1941 and after basic training arrived in the UK. Following further training at 10 O.T.U. he was posted to 78 Squadron on 9th December 1941. The flight on 18th December 1941 which involved the crash on Simon Seat occurred on his first operational flight. He remustered as an air bomber in May 1942 while still at 78 Squadron and received a commission in September 1942. He married Esther Taylor, a member of the A.T.S., in Castleford, Yorkshire in December 1942. After service with 78 Squadron he flew with 428 Squadron and then served at 1664 H.C.U. (serving as bombing leader) before being repatriated to Australia on 19th October 1943. His commission was later terminated on medical grounds.