Whitley T4204 near Thorne.
On 1st January 1941 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft took off from Dishforth at 16.30hrs for an operational flight to bomb Bremen but the aircraft developed a problem
with the exactor so the crew jettisoned their bombs and returned home early. As they made their return to Yorkshire the aircraft suffered from severe icing conditions
which effected control of the aircraft. At 22.00hrs the aircraft was abandoned and it later crashed near Thorne but one of the crew delayed his jump and sadly
his body was found near the wreckage Cuckoo Lane. Cuckoo Lane in nearby Hatfield seems the more likely location. His four crew survived.
Whitley T4204 was built to contract 38599/39 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd September 1940. It
was taken on charge by 78 Squadron later the same month. Cat.E2/FB damage was recorded following the incident recorded above.
Second Pilot - P/O William Albert Bates RAFVR (86711), aged ? Of Sutton, Surrey. Buried Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey.
Pilot - Sgt Harold Ashley Davis RAFVR (754422).
Observer - Sgt Frederick Stanley Waldren RAF (581193).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Eric Oswald T Balcomb RAF (968379 or 968679).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell RAFVR (752233), of Hounslow, Middlesex.
William Bates received a commission on 19th October 1940 to the rank of P/O on probation. Nothing about his family is listed on the CWGC database.
I thank Mr Neil Smith for kindly photographing his gravestone on my behalf and supplying it to this account.
Ernest Grunsell was born in the Brentford district of Middlesex in 1921. He was killed on 27th March 1941 while flying in Whitley Z6470 which was shot
down over Holland (also in his aircraft was Sub Lt Peter Hoad RN (involved in a number of minor mishaps in Yorkshire). The crew of five are buried in
Jonkerbos War Cemetery. Sgt Grunsell was twenty years old. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 24th September 1941, after he was posted as missing and later as dead.
On the night of 12th / 13th December 1940 Sgt's Waldren and Grunsell were flying in Whitley N1485 on Ops to Kiel, on the return the crew were forced to abandon the aircraft
over The Wash but sadly the other three members of their crew were killed. Sgt's Waldren and Grunsell survived the jump returned to their squadron. Their pilot on this occasion
was one P/O M L Stedman who survived a belly landing near Pickering earlier in the year (detailed on this website).
By the 24th July 1941 Sgt Balcomb had been posted to 35 Squadron. On this date he was flying in Halifax L9527 which was shot down over France
on Ops to la Pallice. He was one of two who were able to bale out and were taken PoW. Five others of his then crew were sadly killed and a memorial
has now been placed on the crash site. Eric Balcomb survived the War and died in Liverpool in 1994.
Harold Ashley Davis (754422) received a commission on 1st May 1942 (122055) and later served as a pilot with 109 Pathfinder Squadron flying
Mosquitoes in 1944 flying top secret radar OBOE operations to mark targets, F/Lt Davis was later awarded the DFC for service with 109 Squadron on
13th October 1944 and the Bar to the DFC on 16th January 1945. No citation for his DFC has been found however the citation for his Bar to the DFC
reads.. "Since the award of the DFC, F/Lt Davis has continued to operate against the enemy great skill and enthusiasm. He has shown himself to be
a most capable pilot, and captain of aircraft, who can be relied upon to press home his attacks regardless of the opposition. His gallantry and
devotion to duty have always been praiseworthy." I thank his grandson for contacting me in March 2014. His log books and medals currently on loan
to the PFF Collection at RAF Wyton.