On 20th August 1940 this 220 Squadron aircraft took off from Thornaby airfield at 10.45hrs to undertake a convoy patrol. In the course of the flight the aircraft made two diving attacks on two enemy destroyers in the North Sea, the ships returned fire and a shell hit the nose of the Hudson. The pilot and the second pilot / navigator sustained leg injuries. The aircraft landed at Thornaby at 16.00hrs with the perspex nose missing, two windows had also been blown out and there were numerous splinter holes in and around the nose of the aircraft.
Pilot - P/O Alfred Charles Culver DFM RAF (43198). Leg injuries.
Pilot (Navigator) - P/O Michael Negus RAF (33574). Leg injuries.
Air Gunner - Sgt Edward James Pritchard RAF (568713).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Hubert Brindle McCreery RAF (551364).
Hudson N7297 was built to contract 791587/38 by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California and was shipped to the UK, arriving at Liverpool in August 1939. From the docks it was taken by road to the Lockheed Assembly Division (UK) Ltd., at Speke for assembly and testing. It was then issued to 6 MU on 4th September 1939 and it then went to another MU for storage. It was taken on charge by 220 Squadron at Thornaby on 10th April 1940. As a result of battle damage on 20th August 1940 Cat.M/FB damage resulted and it was repaired on site and returned to 220 Squadron use. It was slightly damaged on landing at Thornaby on 22nd March 1941, Cat.A/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site again. It was taken on charge by No.6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at Thornaby on 8th October 1941. On 24th December 1942 it was given a Cat.E damage assessment but the airframe was converted to Ground Instructional Airframe 3467M. It went to No.1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit on 31st December 1943 but after this date nothing more is known.
Alfred Culver received the DFM in February 1940. He was recorded as missing on 2nd September 1942 flying 269 Squadron Hudson FH385 while searching for the crew of another missing Hudson. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He received a Mention in Despatches after his death on 1st January 1943.
Michael Negus was later awarded the DFC for service with 605 Squadron. He was killed on 7th April 1944 when Mosquito NS875 crashed in Switzerland.
Sgt Edward Pritchard was killed when Hudson P5135 crashed off Hartlepool on 4th December 1940. He has no known grave and is also commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
F/Sgt Hubert McCreery was killed with 159 Squadron on 28th February 1943 flying in a Liberator, he too has no known grave but is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.
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