Whitley N1460 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
At 21.00hrs on 17th April 1940 this 58 Squadron aircraft was being taxied from a dispersal point to the runway prior to taking off from an operational flight. The aircraft passed over a deep rut at the side the concrete runway and this cauased the tail wheel to sink and break off. The condition of the ground at the edge of the runways at Linton on Ouse at this date were described as "deplorable".
Pilot - S/Ldr (temp) Kenneth Brooke Farley Smith RAF (36042).
Crew - Names unknown.
Kenneth Smith was a graduate of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The date of when he joined the RAF is not known but he was granted a permanent commission in the RAF as P/O on probation on
1st July 1934. or his early promotions but he rose to F/Lt on 23rd July 1939 (seniority back dated to 1st July 1937), then took a number of temporary promotions before being confirmed as
S/Ldr in November 1942 but with the rank again back-dated to 1st June 1940. He rose to Temporary W/Co on 1st December 1941. As Acting W/Co with 58 Squadron he was awarded the DSO on 23rd
May 1941, the citation reads.. "This officer has been engaged in active operations against the enemy over a long period. He participated in the first raid of the war and, since then, he has taken part in numerous bombing
missions over Germany in addition to many convoy escorts. Throughout the whole period he has displayed exceptional powers of leadership, courage and determination and has undoubtedly
contributed in a large measure to the operational efficiency of his squadron."
He was killed in action on 11th April 1943 as the pilot of Lancaster ED501 with 9 Squadron when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the loss of the eight crew. He was the Commanding
Officer of 9 Squadron at the time and had been awarded the DSO (detailed above) and was Mentioned in Despatches twice (on 24th September 1941 and 11th June 1942). I thank Mr Graham Sharpe
for the photograph of his gravestone shown here.
Whitley N1460 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 7th December 1939. It was delivered to MU storage but the location
not specified and was then issued to 58 Squadron at Linton on Ouse in March 1940. Cat.M/FA damage was recorded after this incident detailed above, the aircraft was repaired on site and it
was returned to unit. It was lost on Ops to Castrop-Rauxel on 19th May 1940 when it crashed in Germany with the loss of the whole crew.