Whitley N1375 damaged by flak, returned to Driffield airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th June 1940 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were undertaking Ops to bomb the Duren area of Germany.
Aircraft "DY-H" is believed to have been slightly damaged by flak but the crew were able to return to make a safe landing at Driffield airfield. The identity
of the aircraft is unknown. Three 102 Squadron Whitley's were slightly damaged by flak on this night and the squadron records identify them as being DY-C, DY-E and DY-N.
DY-N was Whitley N1375 however in the squadron records there is a note that this Whitley did not encounter any flak opposition. Take off time for this aircraft was 21.19hrs and landing at Driffield was 04.06hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Raymond Wilson Pitts McFarland RAF (564252).
Pilot - Sgt Norman Kelvin Bott RAFVR (742082).
? - Sgt C A Howard.
? - Sgt R Bates.
? - Sgt E Shaw.
Norman Bott was killed when Whitley N1489 crashed at Silsden on 29th August 1940.
Whitley N1375 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was awaiting collection in September 1939, it was then delivered into MU storage. Two months later it was issued to 102 Squadron at Driffield when the unit began to re-equip with Whitley MkV's, having operated Whitley MkIII's for a year. On 11th/12th May 1940 it was slightly damaged by flak and again it appears to have been slightly damaged by flak on 15th June 1940 and was repaired on site at Driffield. Both times Cat.M/FB damage was recorded following inspection at Driffield and it was repaired on site by a team from Marshall's, of Cambridge, who were permanently based at Driffield purely for the purpose of battle damage repair of Whitley's. It was then returned to 102 Squadron, on the night of 20th / 21st June 1940 it was belly landed at Manston on return from Ops to Ludwigshafen after sustaining flak damage. It was probably repaired on site and again returned to 102 Squadron. It moved around with them over the following months. On 25th August 1940 it moved with the unit to Leeming, on 1st September 1940 to Prestwick, on 10th October 1940 to Linton on Ouse and on 15th November 1940 to Topcliffe. In early 1941 the aircraft was transferred to RAE Farnborough for trial work and remained there until 15th March 1942 when it was transferred to 24 OTU at Honeybourne when the unit formed. On 12th February 1944 it sustained Cat.E2/FA when it collided on landing with Whitley Z6673 at Honeybourne.