Whitley K9054 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
On 29th November 1939 the pilot of this aircraft misjudged a night landing at Linton on Ouse, the aircraft overshot, skidded and hit mounds of earth in the overshoot area. It suffered minor damage and was repaired.
Pilot - Sgt Raymond Newport Peace RAF (566277). Uninjured.
Crew - Names unknown.
It is likely that he was born in the Rugby area of Warwickshire in 1916.
Raymond Peace received his commission on 1st December 1940 (45147) to the rank of P/O with seniority back dated
to 27th November 1940. He was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted 7th March 1941
(the same Gazette as Leonard Cheshire's DFC). He was then made F/O on 27th November 1941 and to F/Lt on 25th July 1942.
Having been posted to 76 Squadron he was killed flying Halifax DT570 as Acting S/Ldr on 20th December 1942 and is buried in
Reichwald Forest War Cemetery.
Whitley K9054 was built to contract 522438/36 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and delivered to 78 Squadron at Dishforth on 11th August 1939. The aircraft moved with unit to
Ternhill on 1st September 1939 and back to Dishforth on 15th September 1939. It then moved with unit to Linton on Ouse on 15th October 1939. Following the incident detailed above
Cat. M/FA was recorded. It was repaired on site and returned to unit. 78 Squadron ceased to operate Mk. IVa Whitleys in February 1940 and it was eventually flown out to an as yet unspecified MU (ASU or Aircraft Storage Unit).
On 27th May 1940 19 OTU formed at Kinloss and K9054 was issued to them around that date. It was damaged on 20th August 1940 with Cat. M(c)/FA recored when it belly landed in error at Kinloss. It was
again repaired on site but repair beyond unit capacity so a team from Armstrong Whitworth Ltd carried out an on-site repair and the it was returned to 19 OTU on an unspecified date on completion of
the repair. On 14th August 1941 it suffered a Cat.M/FA incident when it undershot on approach to land at Kinloss, and it struck a ditch and the undercarriage collapsed. Again it was repaired on site
and returned its unit on 6th September 1941. On 22nd September 1941 it suffered a Cat. R/FA accident when it overshot on landing at Kinloss, when it swung and the undercarriage collapsed again. This time
it was sent back to be repaired in works and dismantled and transported to Marshall's at Cambridge for repair on 28th September 1941. On completion of repair, which would appear not to have been a priority,
it was sent to 5 MU at Kemble (ASU) on 3rd June 1942. It was later issued to 7 AGS at Stormy Down on 17th August 1942. On 12th February 1943 it suffered a Cat. A/FA accident when it was belly landed in error
at Stormy Down. It was repaired on site and returned to 7 AGS on 30th April 1943. It was declared surplus to requirements and struck off charge on 21st July 1943 having flown a total of 552.45 hours. It was
stripped and melted down (or technically known as RTP, or return to produce).