Whitley P4972 at Dishforth airfield.

In the early hours of 30th October 1940 the crew of this aircraft were returning from Ops, having bombed Meresburg. The aircraft undershot on landing at Dishforth airfield at 04.00hrs in a cross wind and crashed. Sadly one of the crew died of his injuries and the remaining crew also sustained injuries.

Second Pilot - Sgt John R Brown RAFVR (745568), aged 20, of Blackpool. Buried Blackburn Cemetery, Lancashire.

Pilot - P/O Norman E Sharp RAF (43046), of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Injured.

Observer - Sgt Douglas H Crocker RAFVR (755895), injured.

Wireless Operator - Sgt A Brittain RAF, injured.

Air Gunner - P/O S Storey RAF, injured. Possibly P/O Stephen Storey RAF (78693).

Norman Sharp was granted his commission as Acting P/O on probation on 23rd March 1940, graded as P/O on probation on 13th July 1940 and on 25th September 1940 he was confirmed as P/O. As Acting F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 18th July 1941. He had risen to F/O (War Subs) five days previously. He rose to F/Lt (war Subs) on 13th July 1942 having been posted to 159 Squadron prior to this to fly a second Tour. On 19th July 1942 he was pilot of Liberator AL554 on Ops to Tobruk, the aircraft may have been damaged over the target area by an enemy fighter. The crew were unable to locate their base of St.Jean and ran out of fuel trying to locate Lydda near Tel Aviv. The aircraft crashed while force landing in Hadera, Palestine. All but one of the eight man crew died and F/Lt Sharp was twenty three years old and is buried in Khayat Beach War Cemetery, Israel.
Sgt Douglas Crocker was later awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron on 22nd August 1941. He later received his commission on 20th March 1942 to the rank of P/O on Probation (emergency). He rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 20th March 1944. He survived the War.
Stephen Storey was graded as P/O on probation on 7th May 1940, he is currently the likely identity of this air gunner. Acting F/Lt Storey was later posted to 104 Squadron and was awarded the DFC on 7th April 1942. He survived the War and remained in the RAF until the mid-1950's.
Whitley P4972 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd May 1940. It was delivered new to 51 Squadron at Dishforth a few days later. The aircarft had an event free existence unit 30th October 1940 when it crashed at Dishforth and Cat.W/FB damage was recorded. The airframe was so badly damaged it was struck off charge on the same day. Whitley P4972 was a replacement at 51 Squadron for Whitley K8980, a Mk.IV. 51 Squadron ceased operating MkIV's in May 1940 in favour of MkV's.