Whitley K9030 at Dishforth airfield.
On 16th September 1939 this 10 Squadron aircraft was belly landed in error at it's Dishforth base after the pilot forgot to lower the undercarriage on return from a local circuit training flight. Little more is currently known other than the damage was not serious as it was repaired and the aircraft flew again. Any names or details of the crew are not known. The pilot's name will become familiar with other minor mishaps in North Yorkshire prior to him sadly being killed in 1940.
Pilot - Sgt Leslie Arthur Keast RAF (564740).
Pilot - F/O Garfield Wallace Prior RAFVR (37611).
Crew - Names unknown.
Leslie Keast trained at 2 FTS at Brize Norton, he passed out of his training here with distinction in June 1938. During the early
months of WW2 he was the regular second pilot of F/Sgt Harcourt-Powell at 10 Squadron. He was the pilot of Whitley K9022 that was damaged
at Dishforth on 3rd March 1940. He was killed on 11th June 1940 flying Whitley P4954 which crashed in France and was twenty five years old.
He is buried in Abbeville Cemetery, France.
Garfield Prior was born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan in 1914. He joined the RAF in the mid-1930s and was appointed to a commission on 2nd March 1936, taking the rank Acting P/O on probation and was later posted 97 Squadron. He was posted to 10 Squadron on 15th September 1939. He transferred to the Reserve on 6th January 1940 but was immediately called up for service on that date. On 20th / 21st July 1940 and again on 5th/6th August 1940 he was flying Whitley P4952 on Ops when the aircraft was hit by flak on both dates. He was able to return to base on both dates and the damage was repaired. F/O Prior was awarded the DFC on 22nd October 1940 but no citation for the award has been found. He also rose through the ranks, rising to S/Ldr and was reported missing on 23rd November 1943 flying Stirling EF180 but his date of death is recorded on the CWGC database as being on 22nd January 1944. A draft citation has been found by Hugh Halliday in his Canadian awards research, it reads.."This officer has completed 24 flights over enemy territory both as second pilot and as captain of aircraft. These include raids on the marshalling yards at Hamm, the aluminum works at Monheim, aircraft factories at Wenzendorf, Bremen and Weismar, the oil plant at Salzbergen, the Fiat works at Turin, the Zeiss works at Zena, and an aerodrome at Hasheim. All of these raids were successful, causing fires and explosions. Flying Officer Prior has maintained a high standard of work and by his conscientiousness, keenness and ability has set a fine example to his squadron."
Whitley K9030 was built to contract 522438/36 by Armsrtong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was delivered to 10 Squadron at Dishforth on 10th June 1939. Cat.M(c) damage was recorded following the mishap above in September 1939 but repair was carried out on site and it was returned to the unit. It later transferred to 19 OTU at Kinloss on 14th June 1940 and then suffered Cat.M damage on 9th August 1941 but no details known, it was again repaired on site and given back to the unit. It again suffered Cat.M damage on 4th October 1941 and again no details are known and was repaired on site and again returned to 19 OTU. It suffered Cat.A damage on 12th February 1942 when undershot a landing at Tain and undercarriage collapsed. It was again repaired on site and returned to 19 OTU. It then transferred to 38 MU at Llandow on 22nd June 1942 which was an aircraft storage unit and then issued to ECFS (Empire Central Flying School) at Hullavington on 14th November 1942 but quickly transferred to 20 MU at Aston Down (which was another aircraft storage unit) on 15th January 1943 where it remained until being struck off charge on 19th August 1943 when it was returned to produce.