On the night of 28th / 29th June 1940 the crew of this 58 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to Moorst to bomb industrial works. On their return to the UK they became lost and flew well north of their intended track. Over Newcastle upon Tyne the aircraft was fired on by anti-aircraft until it fired off the correct colours of the day. In the mean time fighters were scrambled in the early morning light to intercept what was believed to be an enemy raid. One flight of three Spitfires from 41 Squadron at Catterick were scrambled and a 219 Squadron Blenheim MkIf was vectored into the area. Whitley P4951 followed the coast south and when over Middlesbrough it was attacked by the 41 Squadron Spitfires and the Blenheim. The pilot of the Whitley lowered the aircraft's uundercarriage, the international sign of surrender, but the fighters continued to fire on the Whitley. The Whitley was forced to make a landing at Thornaby at 04.20hrs. On inspection no hits from anti aircraft fire or bullets holes were found and the aircraft was re-fuelled and later flown back to Linton on Ouse. The crew were unhurt.
Pilot - F/Lt Frank Aikens RAF (37490).
F/O Gunn
Sgt Green
Sgt Ronald Gibson RAFVR (48816).
Ac1 G H Cawte RAF (629020).
Frank Aikens was in the RAF before the outbreak of War, he rose to F/Lt on 25th May 1940 and had transferred to 58 Squadron by June of that year. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1941, he rose to S/Ldr (temp) in September 1941 and was awarded the AFC on 24th September 1941. He then rose to S/Ldr (war subs) on 14th June 1942, to W/C (temp) on 1st July 1943 and then to W/C (war subs) on 6th October 1944. He remained in the RAF post-War and having his rank of W/C being made permanent in July 1948 he was awarded the Bar to the AFC on 8th June 1950. He retired on 26th December 1957 as a W/C but retained the rank of G/C. While he was still serving in the RAF he was partly responsible for the re-starting of motor-racing in England after the War. He was one of the organisers of a meeting at RAF Gransden Lodge in July 1947 which was effectively the first meeting sice the War. In this meeting he entered and drove a self-built car, the Aikens 500cc IFS, while he was stationed at Swinderby. The two photographs of him shown here were found on the internet.
Whitley P4951 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was ready for collection on 15th April 1940 and delivered to 58 Squadron soon after. Cat.M/FB damage was recorded at Thornaby following the incidents on 29th June 1940 (as stated above) and it was repaired on site and returned to the unit in early July 1940. It sustained Cat.R/FB on 9th September 1940 when returning from ops to Bremen and undershot on landing at Linton on Ouse causing undercarriage to collapse. The crew on this occasion escaping injury but although Cat.R damage was recorded it was repaired on site by a team from Baginton and returned to the unit in November 1940. It then moved with 58 Squadron to St.Eval on 8th April 1942 and to Stornoway on 30th August 1942. 58 Squadron ceased using Whitleys by the end of the year and in December 1942 it was flown into MU storage where it remained until being issued to 42 OTU. It was struck off charge and returned to produce (broken up and the metal re-used) on 19th April 1945.