Whitley P5055 (?) struck by lightning, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 16th / 17th January 1941 the crew of this aircraft were tasked with bombing Wilhelmshaven and they set out from Leeming at 18.35hrs with other aircraft and crews of 10 Squadron. Outbound the aircraft's surfaces began to suffer from the condition of icing on the surfaces of the aircraft and this caused severe problems in controlling the aircraft, the aircraft lost height which, in general, appears to have helped reduce icing effects on aircraft. Around this time the aircraft was struck by lightning, the trailing aerial was burnt off and the second pilot sustained injuries as a result of the strike with his right arm being temporarily paralysed. The crew jettisoned their bombs in the North Sea and made for Yorkshire. They landed at Linton on Ouse airfield at 20.30hrs. The injuries to the second pilot may not have been severe but later in the year he transferred from the general flying branch of the RAF to another branch which may suggest that his injuries prevented him from piloting aircraft.
The squadron records list the aircraft as being P4955 but this aircraft was lost in Summer 1940. The likely identity was P5055. I have not included the history of the aircraft until I prove the identity.
Pilot - Sgt Kenneth Davall Hayward RAF (754424).
Second Pilot - P/O Herbert William Laverick Thompson RAFVR (85266).
Observer - Sgt H R Wemyss RAF (755677).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Boyd-Stevenson RAF (621788).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt A J Owen RAF (818146).
Herbert Thompson received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 22nd September 1940 and was promoted to F/O on 9th October 1941 (with seniority of
22nd September 1941). He also transferred to the Admin and Special Duties Branch of the RAF on 9th October 1941. He was promoted to F/Lt (Temp) on 1st January 1943. Having risen to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st January 1944 he was Mentioned in Despatches in June 1944.
Kenneth Hayward received his commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 3rd February 1944 (170562) in the Admin and Special Duties Branch of the RAF.
He was graded as P/O on probation on 30th March 1944 and promoted to F/O (War subs) on 30th September 1944.
Donald Boyd-Stevenson received his commission on 17th May 1941 (45948) to the rank of P/O on probation. He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 17th May 1942 and had been posted to 104 Squadron where he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 23rd July 1943. He was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 17th May 1943. He left the RAF on 22nd October 1945.
Notification was printed in the London Gazette on 7th September 1945 that Warrant Officer Wemyss had received a King's Commendation for valuable service in the air for service with 271 Squadron.
Sgt Owen baled out of Whitley T4202 on 18th March 1941 on return from Ops to Kiel, the aircraft crashed near Masham with the pilot's body found in the wreckage. Sgt Owen was later posted to 22 OTU and flew the first two Thousand Bomber raids with them in May / June 1942. He later became a PoW but the events surrounding this have not yet been found at the time of creating this webpage.