Whitley N1348 hit by flak, returned safely to Driffield airfield.
On the night of 19th / 20th May 1940 this 77 Squadron aircraft was damaged on operations, the crew were tasked with bombing oil production targets in the
Gelsenkirchen and Dorsten areas. The Whitley sustained severe flak damage on return flight but able to land safely at Driffield without further
damage.
Pilot - P/O Thomas Gilbert Mahaddie RAF (44456), of Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Second Pilot - Sgt W Edmond
? - Sgt Marshall
? - Cpl Briggs
? - Ac1 Groome
Thomas "Hamish" Mahaddie was born in Leith, Scotland in March 1911. He joined the RAF on 9th January 1928 at the very bottom but later volunteered
for pilot training and gained his wings in 1935, he first served with 55 Squadron in Iraq and later transferred to 77 Squadron in 1937 on return to the UK.
On 24th November 1938 he was on board Whitley K8963 which crashed near Driffield airfield with one of the crew being killed, he attempted to rescue P/O P R Wood
but was unsuccessful and was later taken to
York Military Hospital with injuries. This loss will be included on this webpage in due course.
He recovered from his injuries and continued to serve with 77 Squadron until mid-1940 when, at which point he had
almost certainly completed a Tour and took an instructing role with 14 OTU at Kinloss. He had been commissioned
on 1st April 1940. In August 1942 he returned to
operational flying with 7 Squadron PFF and completed a second Tour with this unit. As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the DSO for service with 7 Squadron on
12th January 1943 but no citation has been located as yet for this award. He was also awarded the Czechoslovak Military Cross on the same date.
As Acting W/C he was awarded the DFC also for service with 7 Squadron on 2nd March 1943, the citation was a joint one with a number of airmen in his crew, it reads..
"One night in February 1943, Wing Commander Mahaddie, Flight Lieutenant Thompson and Flight
Sergeant Stewart were captain, navigator and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft detailed
to attack Cologne. Whilst over the target area the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and attacked
by an enemy fighter. The bomber sustained much damage. The aileron control cables
were severed, causing the aircraft to fall into a steep diving turn and the wireless apparatus and
the inter communication system were rendered unserviceable. By skilful use of the engines, Wing
Commander Mahaddie regained control and set course for home. With great promptitude, Flight
Sergeant Stewart inspected the damage and, after reporting the position to his captain, rendered
first aid to the wireless operator who had sustained
a severe wound in the hand. Flight Sergeant Stewart then did all in his power to assist his
captain in flying the aircraft back to base which
was gained at the estimated time due to the superb navigation of Flight Lieutenant Thompson.
In the face of trying circumstances, these members of aircraft crew displayed great courage, skill and initiative."
Having risen through the ranks to Group Captain he was eventually taken off operational flying
in March 1943 and given the task of recruiting aircrew for the Pathfinder Force and was later was C.O. of RAF Warboys. He was also awarded the AFC before 1944 but no details
of this have yet been found, and he was Mentioned in Despatches with many air force personnel on 1st January 1945.
"Hamish" Mahaddie continued his post war career in the RAF and was awarded the Bar to AFC on 7th June 1951 as a Canberra pilot. He retired from the RAF
with the rank of Group Captain in March 1958. He later became a consultant to the film industry and was involved in a number of "War" films, the ones credited
as having his involvement were "633 Squadron" and one of the aircraft used in the film Mosquito RS712 was later bought by him and still exists. He was later
involved in the "Battle Of Britain", "Operation Crossbow", the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice" and later "Mosquito Squadron". He
was then involved in the television series "The Pathfinders". His finest work is regarded as being the "Battle of Britain" film when he
was tasked with finding enough aircraft to form the "RAF" and "Luftwaffe" and many redundant Spitfires were located and restored and without which
many would probably not exist today. The internet yields plenty about his film career. Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie later published his auto-biography in 1989, he died on 16th January 1997.
Whitley N1348 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at their Baginton factory and was
awaiting collection on 1st September 1939 and was delivered to 78 Squadron at Dishforth on 16th September 1939
when the unit moved in from Ternhill and began converting to Whitley MkV's from Whitley MkIV's. It then transferred
to 77 Squadron at Driffield on 15th October 1939 and it moved with the unit to Kinloss on 15th April 1940 and back to
Driffield with the unit on 4th May 1940. Cat.R/FB damage was recorded after the flak incident detailed above and the
aircraft was repaired on site and returned 77 Squadron, but after a lengthy repair it was surplus to requirements at this unit and
was transferred to 78 Squadron at Dishforth in August 1940 (perhaps saving it from the air-raid damage at Driffield in the same month). It
later returned to 77 Squadron who were, by now, at Topcliffe in October 1940 and it then moved with the unit to Leeming 5th September 1941.
In early 1942 it was transferred to RAE Farnborough for test work but on 15th March 1942 24 OTU formed at Honeybourne and the aircraft
was transferred to that unit for training duties. By April 1944 24 OTU had ceased operating Whitley's and the aircraft was placed into an
MU store awaiting it's fate. It was struck off charge on 17th May 1944 and broken up to be re-used in aircraft production
(known as RTP or Returned To Produce).
