Defiant L7002 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 16th January 1941 this aircraft was one of three training aircraft belonging to 54 OTU that were attacked by enemy aircraft while a night flying
exercise was in progress, the enemy aircraft also dropped between 80 to 90 incendiaries around the airfield. Two aircraft have been identified but this
Blenheim has yet to be identified. The Luftwaffe pilot, Oblt Albert Schulz, of 2/NJG2, actually claimed the three aircraft to have been Blenheims and
that he destroyed all three but this was not a correct claim as two of the aircraft were Defiants and none were destroyed. Uffz Otto Kraher of 3/NJG also
made a claim for destroying an aircraft on the same night over an unknown location.
Defiant L7002 was almost certainly attacked while the pilot was carrying out a night flying training exercise, the pilot of the Defiant was able to
land safely at Church Fenton airfield.
Pilot - P/O Hugh Graham Stanhope Wyrill RAFVR (89626).
"This officer has displayed great keenness and devotion to duty in night-flying operations. He has destroyed two enemy aircraft. He has set a most praiseworthy example."
He was sadly killed while serving with 255 Squadron in North Africa on 20th November 1942 when Maison Blanche airfield was attacked by a a number of Ju87 and
Ju88 aircraft, the attack destroyed a number of aircraft on the ground and killed eleven. F/O Wyrill was about to get into a Beaufighter when a bomb exploded near
to him and he was killed. He was twenty three years old and is buried at Dely Ibrahim War Cemetery, Algeria.
Hugh Wyrill was the son of Lilla and Arthur Stanhope Wyrill of Hendon, Middlesex, his birth was registered in Wandsworth, London in 1919.
He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 2nd December 1940 (with seniority back dated to 14th November 1940) and rose to F/O (war subs)
on 2nd December 1941 (with seniority back dated to 14th November 1941). He and his radar operator F/Sgt John Willins shot down a Junkers Ju88 on 25th April
1942 over Wales and a Dornier Do217 on 23rd August 1942 near Marham, Norfolk. He was awarded the DFC for service with 255 Squadron, Gazetted on 30th October
1942, the citation reads..
Defiant L7002 was built to contract 622849/37 by Boulton & Paul Aircraft Ltd. at Wolverhampton and was awaiting collection in February 1940. It was taken on
charge by 264 Squadron at Martlesham Heath the following month. On 10th May 1940 it moved with the unit to Duxford (where it became a veteran of the Battle of France).
On 23rd July 1940 it moved with the unit to Kirton in Lindsey and on 22nd August 1940 with the unit to Hornchurch. On 25th August 1940 it overshot on landing at
Hornchurch due to oil on the windscreen after carrying out a patrol. Cat.M/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was repaired on site but 264 Squadron left
Hornchurch two days after this mishap and left L7002 behind. On completion of the repair it was surplus to requirement and was transferred to MU storage in
October 1940. On 25th November 1940 it was taken on charge by the newly formed 54 OTU at Church Fenton. On 16th January 1941 it sustained minor Cat.A/FB as
recorded in the incident above, it was repaired on site and continued in the training role until 28th April 1941 when it was transferred to the newly formed
60 OTU at Leconfield. On 16th June 1941 it then moved with this unit to East Fortune. On 14th February 1942 it appears in the records as being allocated to
9 (P)AFU at Hullavington but this unit never operated Defiants. It next appears on charge with 10 AGS at Barrow (Walney Island). 10 AGS ceased operating Defiants
by April 1943, the records then state it was allocated to 60 OTU but by this date 60 OTU flew only twin engined aircraft. It is likely to have gone straight into
MU storage in April 1943 but was then struck off charge on 11th August 1943.