Whitley K8963 near Driffield airfield.
On 24th November 1938 this 77 Squadron Whitley was being flown on a general night flying exercise. Around thirty minutes into the flight a landing was to be made at Driffield airfield, the aircraft overshot the approach and flarepath so the pilot applied power to the engines to make an overshoot and to fly a circuit of the airfield to try landing again. As the aircraft began to overshoot it remained at around 150 to 200 feet briefly before loosing height. It then flew into the ground at around 21.00hrs near the airfield and near what was described as "Jordan's Cafe", on the south side of the Driffield to Bainton road and near Eastburn. On impact the aircraft caught fire. One member of the crew was thrown out but sustained head injuries. The other member of the crew was killed.
Pilot - Sgt Thomas Gilbert Mahaddie RAF (562219). Injured.
Pilot - P/O Peter Rodney Wood RAF, aged 22, of Boris Redis, Sussex. Buried Climping Churchyard, Climping, West Sussex.
Peter Wood received a commission in the RAF to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 24th October 1937 and was confirmed in the rank of P/O on 23rd August 1938. I credit Rick Powell with the photograph of his gravestone found on the "billiongraves.com" website.
"One night in February 1943, Wing Commander Mahaddie, Flight Lieutenant Thompson and Flight Sergeant Stewart were captain, navigator and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne. Whilst over the target area the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and attacked by an enemy fighter. The bomber sustained much damage. The aileron control cables were severed, causing the aircraft to fall into a steep diving turn and the wireless apparatus and the inter communication system were rendered unserviceable. By skilful use of the engines, Wing Commander Mahaddie regained control and set course for home. With great promptitude, Flight Sergeant Stewart inspected the damage and, after reporting the position to his captain, rendered first aid to the wireless operator who had sustained a severe wound in the hand. Flight Sergeant Stewart then did all in his power to assist his captain in flying the aircraft back to base which was gained at the estimated time due to the superb navigation of Flight Lieutenant Thompson. In the face of trying circumstances, these members of aircraft crew displayed great courage, skill and initiative."
Having risen through the ranks to Group Captain he was eventually taken off operational flying in March 1943 and given the task of recruiting aircrew for the Pathfinder Force and was later was C.O. of RAF Warboys. He was also awarded the AFC before 1944 but no details of this have yet been found, and he was Mentioned in Despatches with many air force personnel on 1st January 1945. "Hamish" Mahaddie continued his post war career in the RAF and was awarded the Bar to AFC on 7th June 1951 as a Canberra pilot. He retired from the RAF with the rank of Group Captain in March 1958. He later became a consultant to the film industry and was involved in a number of "War" films, the ones credited as having his involvement were "633 Squadron" and one of the aircraft used in the film Mosquito RS712 was later bought by him and still exists. He was later involved in the "Battle Of Britain", "Operation Crossbow", the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice" and later "Mosquito Squadron". He was then involved in the television series "The Pathfinders". His finest work is regarded as being the "Battle of Britain" film when he was tasked with finding enough aircraft to form the "RAF" and "Luftwaffe" and many redundant Spitfires were located and restored and without which many would probably not exist today. The internet yields plenty about his film career. Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie later published his auto-biography in 1989, he died on 16th January 1997.
Thomas "Hamish" Mahaddie was born in Leith, Scotland in March 1911. He joined the RAF on 9th January 1928 at the very bottom but later volunteered for pilot training and gained his wings in 1935, he first served with 55 Squadron in Iraq and later transferred to 77 Squadron in 1937 on return to the UK. Following this crash on 24th October 1938 he was taken to York Military Hospital with injuries. He recovered from his injuries and continued to serve with 77 Squadron until mid-1940 when, at which point he had almost certainly completed a Tour and took an instructing role with 14 OTU at Kinloss. He had been commissioned on 1st April 1940. In August 1942 he returned to operational flying with 7 Squadron PFF and completed a second Tour with this unit. As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the DSO for service with 7 Squadron on 12th January 1943 but no citation has been located as yet for this award. He was also awarded the Czechoslovak Military Cross on the same date. As Acting W/C he was awarded the DFC also for service with 7 Squadron on 2nd March 1943, the citation was a joint one with a number of airmen in his crew, it reads..