Whitley N1470 near Youlton, Easingwold.
On the evening of 24th September 1940 this 58 Squadron aircraft lost power on take off for an operational flight bomb to Berlin and was put down in a field at just before 21.00hrs near Youlton,
not far from Linton on Ouse's northern boundary. The aircraft caught fire and the bombs exploded damaging a cottage and farm buildings. Sadly three of the crew were killed and two injured.
Pilot - Sgt Herbert Cornish RAF (580050), aged 24. Born Wigan. Buried Standish Churchyard, Lancashire.
Second Pilot - F/O Arnold Irwin Watterson RAF (41638), aged 23, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Initially buried Newton on Ouse Churchyard, Yorkshire. Later exhumed in 1941, cremated Harrogate, Yorkshire and ashes returned to his mother in Canada.
Observer - Sgt Leslie Hambleton Taylor RAF (581192), aged 19, of Whatton-in-the-Vale. Buried Nottingham Southern Cemetery.
Wireless Operator - Sgt R W Fowlie RAF (568834). Injured.
Air Gunner - Sgt John William Chamberlain RAF (651713) Injured.
Arnold Watterson enlisted with the RAF on 21st October 1938. He received a commission on an unknown date but probably in late 1938 or early 1939 to the rank of Acting P/O on probation.
He was graded as P/O on probation on 3rd September 1939 and confirmed as P/O on 31st October 1939. He was promoted to F/O on 3rd September 1940. CWGC list his rank incorrectly as being
P/O on their online database. He is commemorated on the memorial wall within Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery. Soon after the crash his mother began the task of getting his body returned home to Canada. After obtaining the relevent permissions and licenses he was exhumed in early 1941 and his body cremated before his ashes were placed on board a ship in April 1941 and returned to Canada.
Sgt Chamberlain recovered from his injuries. He was posted missing after Whitley T4159 crashed into the Channel off Torbay on 23rd December 1940. Killed in this incident was Sgt
James Rowlands. I was contacted by his nephew in August 2009 but sadly was unable to add much to his research, never the less I thank him for his contact.
Whitley N1470 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 29th December 1939. It was first passed into MU storage until
being issued to 58 Squadron at Linton on Ouse in March 1940 when the unit converted from Whitley MkIII's to MkV's. It sustained flak damage on Ops on 16th / 17th May 1940 and after the
crew were able to return to Linton the aircraft (Cat.M/FB damage recorded) and was repaired on site and soon returned to the unit. On 4th August 1940 it was slightly damaged while
taxiing at Linton on Ouse and Cat.M damage was recorded. Again it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. Later in the year on 24th September 1940 it crashed near Youlton
and was written off as a result of this final accident with Cat.W/Burnt damage recorded.