Whitley N1355 at Cottam airfield.
At 19.00hrs on 20th August 1940 this 77 Squadron aircraft was attempting a landing at Cottam airfield in a strong wind, the aircraft undershot and hit a fence, both undercarriage legs then collapsed when it touched down. Three passengers inside the aircraft were injured. Cottam airfield was not completed until later in the year but it appears to have been used by 77 Squadron while repairs were being carried out to Driffield following the bomb damage earlier in the month. 77 Squadron only stayed here briefly until they moved to Linton on Ouse later in the same month.
Cottam was a poor choice of location for a bomber airfield and was never used as an operational airfield but was used as a bomb storage facility.
Pilot - Sgt James Walter Ward RAFVR (741435).
Passenger - AC2 Harold John Hood RAF (701355).
Passenger - AC2 Derek Reginald Starbuck RAFVR (948213).
Passenger - AC2 Frank Nightingale Sheppard RAFVR (976411).
Sgt James Ward was killed only five days after this mishap when, on 25th August 1940, he was the second pilot of Whitley N1473 on Ops to Augsburg. The aircraft crashed in Holland with the loss of the five crew. Sgt Ward was twenty four years old and is buried in Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, Holland.
Whitley N1355 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 7th September 1939. It was delivered to 78 Squadron at Dishforth on 15th September 1939 when the unit moved in from Ternhill. Before the end of the month the aircraft had been transferred to 77 Squadron at Driffield. On 4th October 1939 it suffered Cat.M/FA damage at Driffield when the undercarriage collapsed on landing. It was repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 15th April 1940 it moved with unit to Kinloss and returned to Driffield on 4th May 1940. On 20th August 1940 it sustained this accident at Cottom and initially Cat.R(b)/FA damage was the damage assessment. After dis-assembly and road transportation to Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton it was re-assessed and they rendered the aircraft as beyond economic repair and it was struck off charge on 22nd September 1940.