On 9th April 1940 60 MU reported that they inspected Hudson "N7239" at Thornaby airfield, however this was probably N7238 which belonged to 220 Squadron at the time. It could not have been Hudson N7239 as this had already been written off on 4th September 1939 at Leuchars when on charge with 224 Squadron and thus cannot have been inspected at Thornaby nine months later. The likely identity therefore is N7238.
Although the Squadron Code for N7238 is not yet known this damage inspection almost certainly referred to 220 Squadron's Hudson coded "NR-H". This damage related to that sustained during the evening of 7th April 1940, this aircraft took off from Thornaby at 10.50hrs to undertake a search for enemy shipping but during the search three enemy destroyers were seen and the after signalling this the order was given to shadow these ships and the presence of eight other destroyers were signalled to the Hudson. The aircraft was later fired upon by one of the three destroyers. Later a Dornier Do18 attacked the Hudson, the Hudson returned fire and slight damage was caused to both aircraft, the engagement was broken off when the Hudson began to run low on fuel. On landing at Thornaby at 18.00hrs the Hudson's undercarriage collapsed but the crew escaped injury. An inspection of the remaining fuel found only two gallons left in the tank.
Pilot - Sgt Dennis Robert Holbeche RAF (564819), of Grays, Essex.
? - P/O David Lingwood (41305).
? - LAC Derbyshire / Darbyshire.
? - LAC Butler.
Sgt Holbeche was sadly killed in the crash of Hudson P5127 near Ingleby Barwick on 11th June 1940 and had survived the mishap to Anson K6200 at Thornaby on 28th September 1939 (incidents detailed on this website). He was twenty six years old and is buried at Thornaby on Tees Cemetery.
David Lingwood was granted a short service commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 29th October 1938, he would have probably been graded as P/O on probation in the months that followed but the exact date for this has not been located in the London Gazette. He was confirmed as P/O on 29th August 1939 and was promoted to F/O on 3rd September 1940. He sadly died on 4th December 1940 piloting Hudson P5135 which crashed into the North Sea off Hartlepool. He was only twenty years old. His brother John died on active service in November 1939 serving with 214 Squadron and their father, S/Ldr Joseph Harold Longwood, was a serving RAF Officer in WW2 having also served in WW1.
LAC Derbyshire/Darbyshire's correct identity is not yet known. On the page refering to the incident above his name is spelt the former whilst later in the month it appears spelt as the latter.
The last named LAC Butler was possibly an Eric Butler and if so then he later survived the crash of Hudson N7314 near Maltby, not far from Thornaby on 1st August 1940.
Hudson N7238 was built to contract 791587/38 by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California and shipped to the UK, arriving in May 1939. After assembly and testing it was issued to 27 MU on 26th June 1939, here it was storaged until it was issued to 220 Squadron at Thornaby on 16th September 1939. It was probably the aircraft that sustained Cat.M(c) prior to the 9th April 1940 and was inspected by 60 MU as detailed above. It is presumed to have been repaired on site and returned to 220 Squadron though may not have been. On 20th May 1940 it went to 4 MU, then to 20 MU on 20th October 1940. It was then taken on charge by 320 Squadron on 20th October 1940 when the unit converted from Ansons to Hudsons. It received a Cat.B/FA damage assessment on 7th July 1941 that appears to have had a repair in works made with it returned to 320 Squadron once repaired. For a short period of time in 1942 it was attached to the Station Flight, Bircham Newton then returned to 320 Squadron also at Bircham Newton on 31st December 1942. On 10th March 1943 it transferred to No.1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at Silloth and moved to Thornaby with the unit on 22nd March 1943. On 7th April 1943 it went to 22 MU and was then taken on charge by the ATA but the date is not known. On 13th August 1944 it was involved in a Cat.E2/FA crash when it was forced landed after suffering an engine fire/failure at Littlewick, Berkshire. No fatalities reported by ATA that day. It was then struck off charge.