Whitley P4955 or P4953 damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 28th / 29th June 1940 the crew of this 10 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing an explosives factory near Frankfurt, this crew were dispersed to Topcliffe airfield prior to the evening take off and took off at 21.11hrs. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target area slightly damaging the aircraft in the port bomb door. The pilot was able to make the return to Mildenhall and landed at 03.15hrs but received some fuel and flew the transit flight back to Yorkshire and landed at Topcliffe without further damage at 06.16hrs. The instruction prior to take off with regard landing was that crews were to land at Topcliffe unless they returned at night or the aircraft were required for inspection and in both cases they were
to land at Dishforth. The aircraft's identity is given as P4955 in the Air Britain books detailing service histories, however P4953 is given in 10 Squadron's ORB appendix. The RAF Form 541 is unclear, it appears to show P4955 but the last digit is very heavily typed and could read P4953.
Pilot - F/O William Maxwell Nixon RAF (39677).
Second Pilot - F/O Peter George Whitby RAF (39918).
Observer - Sgt H W Bradley RAF (580782).
Wireless Operator - Sgt A M Somerville RAF (547146).
Air Gunner - Sgt Patrick Joseph Hughes RAF (619016).
Whitley P4955 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and delivered directly to 10 Squadron at Dishforth on 20th April 1940.
Cat.M/FB damage was recorded following the flak damage as stated above. It was repaired on site and returned to the unit the following week. It then moved with
the unit up to Leeming 8th July 1940 and was slightly damaged (Cat.M/FB) on 9th July 1940 on Ops to Kiel when it was again hit by flak but again the same pilot
was able to return safely to Leeming. Again it was repaired on site and returned to the unit but was lost, with Cat.W(m) being recorded when, on 17th August
1940 the crew were tasked with Ops to Jena to attack the Zeiss Works. It was hit by flak over the taget and an SOS was transmitted but at 03.26hrs a made crash
landing was made at Rijsbergen, Holland. The crew of five, including F/O Nixon, F/O Whitby, Sgt Bradley and Sgt Somerville, were taken PoW.
A photograph of the aircraft exists in a severely damaged state in Holland, it was probably set on fire by the crew after they force landed.
I include Whitley P4955's service history on this page but with a note that it may have infact been P4953 that was damaged, P4953's history is given on this
website in the August 1940 section. When information is found to confirm the serial this page will be corrected.
William Nixon received his commission to P/O on probation on 9th May 1937 and rose to F/O on 8th September 1939. As F/O he was awarded the DFC on 22nd
November 1940 for service with 10 Squadron, he was also promoted to F/Lt while in captivity on 8th September 1940. He remained in the RAF after the War
rising to S/Ldr on 1st August 1947 before retiring on 1st August 1956.
Peter Whitby received his commission on 5th July 1937 to the rank of Acting P/O on probation, he was graded as P/O on probation on 3rd June 1939 and
confirmed in his appointment on 10th August 1938 as P/O. He was promoted to F/O on 3rd February 1940 and F/Lt (war subs) on 3rd February 1941. Under the
terms of his commission he transferred to the Reserve on 10th May 1943 and was called up for active service with immediate effect. Post-War he remained
in the RAFO and was promoted to S/Ldr in March 1946 with seniority of 1st March 1942. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 29th August 1952 for distinguished
service in Malaya.
As a F/Sgt, Patrick Hughes was later awarded the Air Force Medal, Gazetted on 1st January 1944 while serving with No.1 Aircraft Delivery Unit. Nothing
more is known about his service other than on 3rd September 1940 he survived the crash landing of Whitley P4967 near Nether Silton, Yorkshire.