Whitley Z6454 at Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 29/30th September 1941 the crew of this aircraft were tasked with Ops to Stettin, they set out at 18.45hrs and attacked from 12,000ft.
On their return to Topcliffe at 04.57hrs the aircraft overshot on landing and the aircraft received damage.
Pilot - Sgt W J Wilson
2nd Pilot - Sgt Richard F Bradbury RCAF, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Obs - Sgt Ronald C Perriam RAFVR (1155037), of Nottingham.
WOp/AG - Sgt James A Steeves RCAF (R/64734).
AG - Sgt Albert Huddlestone RAF (632024)
A commissioned P/O Bradbury was killed on 26th June 1942, he is listed on the Runnymede Memorial. He was flying in Halifax W7654 on Ops to Bremen.
Sgt Steeves was killed on 7/8th November 1941 flying in Whitley Z9128 on Ops to Berlin
He is commemerated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Perriam was killed on 17th June 1942 flying with 102 Squadron in Halifax R9530 which was shot down on Ops to Essen. The aircraft crashed into the sea off the Dutch coast and Sgt Perriam's body was never found. He is commemerated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was 21 years old.
Sgt Huddlestone was later awarded the DFM for service with 102 Squadron
(Gazetted on 29th December 1942), the citation reads.."Sgt Huddlestone completed a number of
sorties in the role of air gunner and others as air bomber. Undeterred by enemy opposition,
he has always sought his correct target before releasing his
bombs. He has taken part in attacks on such targets as Berlin, Kiel, Brest, Mannheim, Dusseldorf,
Essen and other important centres."