Whitley N1431 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
During the early hours of 11th September 1940 this 77 Squadron aircraft overshot the runway on landing on return from an operational flight to bomb Berlin, they had left base at 19.30hrs the previous evening. The aircraft finished up in the boundary hedge and ditch on return to Linton on Ouse at either 04.40hrs (as listed in the squadron ORB) or 04.55hrs (on the AM Form 1180). A tent was struck by the aircraft during the course of these events and sadly this resulted in the deaths of three of it's occupants. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair but the crew was reported as safe.
Pilot - P/O Peter Ernest Eldridge RAF (41912).
Second Pilot - Sgt Norman Taylor RAFVR (741688).
Observer - Sgt Victor Charles Cowley RAF (580883).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Frank Crawford RAF (620421).
Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Carter Dawson RAF (637484).
The three occupants of tent who were killed, they were..
LAC Harold Hemsley RAF (115701). Buried Hunslet New Cemetery, Leeds, Yorkshire.
AC2 Arthur Bunclark Annis RAFVR (1303443), aged 20, of Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Buried Scartho Road Cemetery, Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
AC1 Henry Baird RAFVR (1303362), aged 30, of Paisley, Scotland. Buried Paisley Cemetery, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Harold Hemsley's grave in Hunslet Cemetery, Leeds.
Peter Eldridge had received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 15th April 1939, he was graded as P/O on probation on 6th November 1939 and on 6th February 1940 to P/O. He was twenty two years old and is buried in Ruurlo Roman Catholic Cemetery, Holland.
The first four named airmen listed above were lost on Ops only days later on 19th September 1940 when Whitley N1425 was shot down and crashed in Holland.
Norman Taylor was awarded the DFM for service with 77 Squadron, Gazetted on 18th April 1941. He later received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 29th November 1941 and rose to F/O six months later and to F/Lt after two years. Sadly he was killed flying with 139 Squadron on 14th October 1944 when Mosquito KB162 crashed soon after take off from Upwood. He is buried in Little Coates Churchyard. He was Mentioned in Despatches after his death in November 1944.
Whitley N1431 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 26th November 1939. After a lengthy period of MU storage it was
taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Driffield in June 1940 as a replacement for N1356, which crash landed at Jurby on 8th June 1940. It survived the bombing of Driffield and on 28th
August 1940 it moved with the unit to Linton on Ouse. It sustained Cat.W damage as was result of the accident recorded above.