Whitley Z6800 hit by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 12/13th September 1941 the crew in this aircraft were tasked with Ops to Frankfurt and set out at 20.12hrs. Similiar
to Z6958 it was hit by flak after bombing at 15,000ft, the pilot was able to make the return to land at Topcliffe without further damage at 05.20hrs.
Pilot - Sgt John W Stell RAFVR (1051815).
2nd Pilot - P/O S J B Hamilton
Obs - Sgt D C Wilson
WOp/AG - Sgt Charles (Maxie) Miller RAF, of Edinburgh, Scotland.
WOp/AG - Sgt Robert Brown RAFVR (1100635), of South Shields, Co.Durham.
AG - Sgt Thomas O McIlquham RCAF (R/67064), of Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada.
F/Sgt Stell was later posted to 76 Squadron and lost on 4th June 1942 in Halifax R9457 on Ops to Bremen. He is listed on the Runnymede Memorial.
The aircraft crashed on land and in more recent years the crash site has been found and there is a possibilty that human remains found at the site may be his.
Maxie Miller was involved in a number of mishaps in Yorkshire during his time with 102 Squadron. He was later posted to an OTu for instructional duties.
Thomas McIlquham was born in Carleton Place in 1911, he enlisted into the RCAF in July 1940. He was involved in a number of mishaps before completing a Tour with 102 Squadron for which he was awarded the DFM in July 1942. Hugh Halliday's research states that on one occasion the aircraft he was in blew up and his turret landed in a haystack saving his life. The citation for the DFM reads.."One night in May this airman was the rear gunner of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne. His aircraft was attacked by a Focke Wulfe 190. Sergeant McIlquham waited until the fighter was within short range and then opened fire. Upon a second attack being made he fired a long burst which sent the enemy aircraft spinning to the ground. Later the same night Flight Sergeant McIlquham destroyed another Focke Wulfe 190. One night in June he was the rear gunner of a bomber detailed to attack Bremen. His aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt 109. He fired two bursts and the enemy aircraft broke away and fell out of control with the engine on fire. Flight Sergeant McInquham is a cool and skilful air gunner whose courage and determination are an inspiration to the squadron." His award was presented at Buckingham Palace in November 1942, soon after he was posted back to Canada on instructional duties, 102 Squadron veteran Ed Cooke recalls, in an internet posting, this was rumoured to be because he used to take a high powered light with him in the rear turret to lure enemy aircraft in try and pick them off. He was later commissioned in October 1943 and survived the War. He sadly drowned in January 1956 after trying to rescue his son after his lorry went through the ice into Mississippi Lake on a fishing trip. He was undoubtably a very skillful air gunner.
Sgt Brown was flying in Whitley Z6796 on 7/8th November 1941 on Ops to Berlin. He is commemerated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was 29 years old.