Whitley N1476 at Finningley airfield.
On the night of 5th / 6th June 1940 this 77 Squadron aircraft was to be used on an operational flight to Bapume to attack troops and transport links. The aircraft took off from Driffield at around 21.00hrs. Around thirty minutes later a parachute flare ignited in fuselage. The crew attempted to extinguish the fire as the pilot turned the aircraft for home but being unable to put out the fire the pilot ordered his crew to bail out. They landed near Bawtry and the pilot then made a forced-landing at Finningley airfield at 21.40hrs where the fire was put out.
Pilot - P/O Andrew Woodrow Dunn RAF (41685).
Second Pilot - P/O Charles James Drogo Montagu RAF (41863).
Observer - Sgt Ian Malcolm Lucas RAF (528905). Slightly injured.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Alan Leigh Kennedy RAF (552595). Sustained minor back injury.
Air Gunner - Sgt Alan Martin RAF (629898).
Whitley N1476 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd January 1940.
After a period in MU storage the aircraft was allocated to the re-forming 97 Squadron at Driffield on 1st May 1940, although
when it arrived at Driffield some time after this date the unit never operated the aircraft and then they disbanded on 20th May 1940. It was
transferred on that date to 77 Squadron also at Driffield. Cat.M/FB damage was recorded after the incident on 6th June 1940 and temporary repairs were carried out at Finningley so the aircraft could be ferried back to Driffield where it was repaired on site and was back on ops by 20th June 1940 when it ditched in English Channel. The crew involved on 6th June 1940 were.
On 28th July 1940 a flare exploded within Whitley N1390 that he was flying and injured one of the crew. Dunn was also the pilot of Whitley P5046 which was hit by flak on Ops to Berlin on 10th September 1940, he was able to bring his aircraft home safely. As was often the case with these early bomber crews, they did not see the War end. P/O Andrew Dunn DFC was flying Whitley P5046 on Ops to Berlin on 24th September 1940 when the aircraft was damaged by flak over the target, he managed to fly the aircraft back towards North-East England but was eventually forced to ditch some eight miles off the North-East coast. Unfortunately it took four days for the dinghy to be located but by this stage sadly four members of the crew had died. Dunn died on 26th September 1940, he has no known grave and is therefore commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Charles Montagu was sadly killed on 25th August 1940 when 77 Squadron Whitley N1473 crashed in Holland with the loss of his crew.
At the age of nineteen he must have been one of the youngest airmen to have been awarded the DFC at the time.
He is buried in Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery.
On 5th July 1941 Alan Martin was on board HMS Anselm when the ship was sunk by a U-Boat some 300 miles north of the Azores. He was one of 254 personnel killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. CWGC list him as being in the lower rank of LAC at the time of his death.
Andrew Dunn was involved in a number of flying accidents during his operational flying with 77 Squadron. On 20th / 21st of March 1940 he was flying as second pilot to F/O Pryde when Whitley N1384 was forced to land in the Somme area of France while on Ops to Cambrai. Thankfully the crew landed in Allied-held ground and the crew were able to make good their return to Driffield within a few days and rejoin their unit. On 9th / 10th June 1940 the same crew as listed above were on Ops to France to bomb bridges over the Somme when the starboard engine failed. They crash landed Whitley N1372 at Abingdon and again Sgt Kennedy was injured. On 19th / 20th June 1940 P/O Dunn and P/O Montagu were flying Whitley N1476 on ops to Wanna-Eickel when their aircraft was attacked by enemy aircraft. The Whitley's gunners returned fire and destroyed one but they sustained damage and the port engine caught fire. Making for England they were forced to ditch the aircraft in the sea off Hastings. All were picked up but the wireless operator and air gunner were slightly injured. Dunn and Montagu were awarded the DFC as a result of this incident, their rear gunner P/O W J Watt was also awarded the DFC and the two non-commissioned crew were awarded DFM's, being Sgt J M Dawson and Acting Sgt B L Savill: their joint citation reads.."These officers and airmen were the crew of an aircraft, piloted by Pilot Officer Dunn, and detailed to carry out a bombing attack on the Ruhr one night in June 1940. After being subjected to heavy anti-aircraft fire for some fifteen minutes, during which their aircraft was repeatedly hit, they were attacked by a Messerschmitt 109. The first attack disabled the inter-communication gear and
also wounded the air observer, Sergeant Savill, and the wireless operator, Sergeant Dawson. The rear gunner, Pilot Officer
Watt, was unable to warn the captain of the enemy fighter's second attack but, by quick reaction and skill in aiming, he delivered
a good burst of fire at short range which destroyed the enemy. During this second attack, however, one engine was disabled.
Despite these difficulties the target was successfully bombed before a course was set for home. For three and a half hours
the aircraft, flying on one engine, steadily lost height until the North Sea was crossed at only 400 feet. During this time, the
navigation was ably carried out by Sergeart Savill, despite the pain from his wound, while Sergeant Dawson, operating his wireless
apparatus, secured a number of essential homing bearings, thus materially assisting in assuring the safety of the crew. Pilot
Officer Montagu, who was the second pilot, made necessary preparations for abandoning the aircraft and his personal example of
coolness and efficiency was of the greatest assistance to his captain. Pilot Officer Dunn displayed resolution, courage and determination
in piloting his badly damaged aircraft, but was forced to land in the sea close to the south coast. This crew showed the
greatest determination, courage and gallantry throughout the operation."
F/Sgt Alan Kennedy was killed on 3rd April 1941 when 77 Squadron Whitley P4947 was attempting to land at Waddington after icing up but crashed. He is buried in Phillips Park Cemetery, Manchester. He was still only nineteen years old.
Ian Lucas received a commission in 1943.