Whitley N1373 damaged by flak, returned safely to Driffield airfield.

On the evening of 12th December 1939 a number of 77 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing enemy mine laying aircraft in the Borkum area where seaplanes were based. Whitley N1373 took off at 17.30hrs and landed at 23.55hrs but was hit by flak in the tail, the pilot was able to make a safe landing at base without further damage or injury to any of the crew.

Although there were other aircraft flying from Yorkshire bases damaged in action prior to this date this is believed to have been the first incident which the crew were able to bring their aircraft back to the county and effect a landing. In this case it appears the damage was minor. As will be seen in the course of these pages, some of these aircraft were very badly damaged and the crews did a remarkable job in nursing their aircraft home.

Pilot - F/O James Anthony Meade RAF (39240), of Woodley, Berkshire.

Second Pilot - F/O David Douglas Pryde RAF (39564), of Kilreny Manse, Anstruther, Fife.

Wireless Operator - AC1 Thomas Brendon Kenny RAF (551620), of Barnsley, Yorkshire.

? - Cpl Cruickshank.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - AC1 Frank Crawford RAF (620421), of Bolton, Lancashire.

Sgt Frank Crawford was still serving with 77 Squadron on 19th September 1940 when Whitley N1425 was shot down over Holland. He was twenty five years old and is buried at Ruurlo Churchyard, Holland.
Thomas Kenny would survive baling out of a Whitley over France in 1940 and he evaded capture and returned to the UK. Rested from operational flying he was posted to 19 OTU as an instructor. F/Sgt Kenny was sadly killed on 13th April 1941 flying with 19 OTU when Anson N9857 crashed on Ben More Assynt, Scotland while on a training flight. Because of the inaccessability of the crash site and the remoteness all six of the fatalities were buried on the site. Their bodies still lie at the crash site and their grave is now capped with a granite block and memorial.
David Pryde was granted a Short Service commission in the RAF as Acting P/O on probation on 8th March 1937, he was graded as P/O on 21st December 1937, and rose to F/O on 8th September 1939. He was awarded the DFC on 11th June 1940, the Citation for the award reads.. "On 20th May 1940, this officer was detailed for a collaboration operation involving an attack on the communication centre at Hannapes. Despite difficult conditions, he succeeded in identifying the target from a very low altitude. Although his aircraft [Whitley N1384] was hit heavily, Flying Officer Pryde climbed to 3,000 feet and executed a successful bombing attack. His aircraft subsequently caught fire, but he continued flying and when height could no longer be maintained, the entire crew landed by parachute. Flying Officer Pryde has completed sixteen operational flights during six months of war flying and has displayed considerable courage and determination." He was promoted to F/Lt on 19th November 1940 and to S/Ldr on 16th December 1941. S/Ldr David Pryde DFC was killed on 9th June 1942 flying with 77 Squadron in Whitley BD195 when their aircraft was shot down off Brest. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
James Meade was probably born in India. He was granted a short service commission in the RAF as Acting P/O on probation on 2nd November 1936, he was confirmed in the rank of P/O on 31st August 1937 and rose to F/O on 30th April 1939. F/O Meade was the pilot of Whitley N1352 which collided with another Whitley at Driffield on 4th October 1939 and of Whitley B1373 which was hit by flak on 13th December 1939, he was able to return to Driffield without further incident (both incidents are detailed on this website). He was promoted to F/Lt on 12th November 1940 and to S/Ldr on 16th December 1941. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron in May 1942, Gazetted on 26th May 1942. He was killed on 16th July 1943 flying in Hudson FK571 which crashed at Ashton under Hill, near Pershore, Worcestershire. His parents were living in Calcutta, India but he was married to a girl from Woodley, Berkshire. He was buried Pershore Cemetery, Worcestershire and was twenty seven years old.
Whitley N1373 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was delivered to into MU storage in September 1939. It was issued to 102 Squadron at Driffield when the unit began converting to Mk.V Whitley's from Mk.III's in November 1939. Almost immediately the aircraft was transferred to 77 Squadron also based at Driffield. After this flak incident detailed above Cat.M(c)/FA damage was recorded and it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It later transferred to 19 OTU at Kinloss on an unknown date in 1940. It sustained Cat.E2/FA damage on 18th February 1941 when it crashed after stalling following engine failure on approach to land at Forres with the loss of six crew.

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