On the night of 3rd / 4th May 1941 the crew of this aircraft were one of a number of 10 Squadron crews tasked with bombing Cologne, codenamed "Trout-B" in the squadron record book. They
took off from Leeming at 20.58hrs. After crossing the English coast they encountered thick cloud, before reaching the German coast the aircraft's instruments had become unservicable and the pilot was struggling to control the aircraft because of a problem with the aileron controls. The crew attempted to jettison the bombload but because of a problem with the electrical system on two fell from the aircraft. On return to Leeming airfield at 00.55hrs the aircraft overshot onto an area of the airfield where runways were being constructed, the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft swung around on its starboard wing.
Pilot - Sgt Kenneth Davall Hayward RAF (754424).
Second Pilot - Sgt Harris Black RAFVR (923087).
Observer - Sgt H R Wemyss RAF (755677).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Arthur Clarence Wilkinson RAFVR (904071).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Owen Roderick Lucas RAF (651870).
Sgt Douglas Wilkinson was flying in Whitley Z6721 on 12th / 13th June 1941 with a different crew when the aircraft was ditched in the North Sea after suffering engine failure. The dinghy overturned but the five crew were able to climb into it with it upturned. After five hours in the raft the crew of a German Heinkel HeIII spotted them and flew towards an RAF ASR launch boat directing them towards the dinghy. As a result all five were rescued. For his efforts on this night Sgt Wilkinson was awarded the British Empire Medal, Gazetted on 31st October 1941. The citation for his award adds alot of detail and reads.."One night in June 1941, this airman was the wireless operator of an aircraft which, in the course of an operation, was compelled to descend on to the sea off the Dutch coast. Although Sergeant Wilkinson had had trouble with his wireless set he had managed to maintain wireless contact with a home station until the aircraft crashed, thus enabling an accurate fix to be obtained of the aircraft's position. After the crash he released his captain who was strapped in and assisted him through the front top hatch. Sergeant Wilkinson was about to leave the aircraft, which by this time was half full of water, when he observed the navigator lying unconscious in the tunnel. Sergeant Wilkinson immediately went to the navigator's assistance, and dragging him into the cockpit, managed to revive him and then assisted him to climb out through the top hatch. Following him through the hatch, Sergeant Wilkinson saw the dinghy had not yet been launched so, dropping down on to the port wing, he jumped into the sea, swam round to the door and, opening it fully, enabled the rear gunner to throw out the dinghy. It failed to open but Sergeant Wilkinson pulled on the cord until it eventually opened but upside down. Eventually, however, the dinghy was righted and all the -crew were able to jump into it except the navigator who fell in the water. Sergeant Wilkinson grasped him and with the assistance of the rear gunner was able to pull the navigator into the dinghy. Within the next few minutes the aircraft sank. Sergeant Wilkinson showed great presence of mind and devotion to duty and undoubtedly was instrumental in saving the life of the navigator besides contributing largely to the successful launching of the dinghy which led to the eventual rescue of the entire crew." He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 24th April 1943 (145900). For further service with 61 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 19th October 1943 but he had already been killed in action before the notification was published. On 3rd October 1943, in the rank of Acting F/Lt, he was flying in Lancaster W4279 on Ops to Kassel when the aircraft crashed near Rothwesten, Germany. He is buried in Hanover War Cemetery. CWGC does not list the fact that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, in my mind a major error in the listing the service of a brave young man.
F/Sgt Owen Lucas and Sgt Harris Black were killed on 8th July 1941 while flying in Whitley Z6816 on Ops to Osnabruck. The aircraft was thought to have crashed in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire. Their bodies were never found and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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.
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. I have yet to fully identify him.
Whitley P5109 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 16th August 1940. It was taken on charge by 10 Squadron in October 1940 almost certainly as a replacement for N1483 "ZA-I" which ditched in the North Sea on return from Berlin on 1st October 1940. As a result of minor flak damage on 15th March 1941 Cat.A/FB damage would have been the assessment, it was then damaged again by flak on 29th / 30th April 1941 and again Cat.A/FB damage was probably the assessment although neither incidents were recorded on the aircraft's published Air Britain history. It would have been repaired on site at Leeming both times. On 4th May 1941 it sustained this further damage at Leeming and again any damage assessment does not feature in the published Air Britain history, it sounds like more serious damage than Cat.A/FA but as it does not appear to have gone back to a factory for repair in works it sounds like it was repaired on site at Leeming. On 12th September 1941 it failed to return from Ops to Warnemunde and Cat.Em/FB damage was recorded on the paperwork. It was ditched eighty miles off the English coast when low on fuel.