This 10 Squadron aircraft took off from Dishforth airfield at 22.26hrs on 27th May 1943 to begin an operational flight to bomb Cologne. They released their bomb load over the target area at 01.35hrs from 10,000 feet but was coned in searchlights and was fired upon by anti-aircraft fire. The aircraft was hit several times by flak over the target area and damage was sustained to both front and rear turrets, the fuselage and a wing. On their return to England they made a safe landing at Leeming at 04.10hrs on 28th May 1941.
Pilot - P/O Maurice Littlewood RAFVR (87649), of Saanichton, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Second Pilot - Sgt John Stanley Shaw RAFVR (908401).
Observer - P/O Aubrey Charles Stevens-Fox RAFVR (60772).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Arthur Clarence Wilkinson RAFVR (904071).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Farrington.
Maurice Littlewood was born in Canada but travelled to England to join the RAF. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on 16th November 1940 (with seniority of 7th November 1940). On 8th August 1941 he was the pilot of Whitley Z6815 on Ops to Kiel with 10 Squadron when the aircraft was shot down over the target. He was killed and is buried in Kiel War Cemetery, he was twenty two years old. His brother Peter Littlewood served in the RAFVR and he too was sadly killed in the War. He was serving with 410 Squadron when he died on 30th July 1943 at the same age of twenty two and is buried at Scopwick Church Burial Ground, Lincolnshire. He was a navigator flying Mosquitos at the time of his death but his death occurred during a navigation exercise in the squadron Oxford which crashed near Honiley, Warwickshire, he would be Mentioned in Despatches after his death for the work he had done previously.
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.
Sgt John Shaw was killed on 28th June 1941 on Ops to Bremen while flying Whitley T4179 and is buried in Becklingen War Cemetery.
Aubrey Stevens-Fox received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 17th November 1940 (60772) and was promoted to F/O (War subs) on 17th November 1941. He was still flying with 10 Squadron on 30th March 1942 having converted to the Halifax type. On this night he was flying in Halifax W1043 on Ops to attack the Tirpitz battleship in a Norwegian fjord when it crashed in the target area. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Whitley T4263 was built to contract 38599/39 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 4th October 1940. It was almost certainly supplied as a replacement to 10 Squadron for P4957 "ZA-E" which had crashed at Slaggyford on 30th October 1940. It was later allocated to 51 Squadron at Dishforth in October 1940 but was certainly on charge with 10 Squadron at Leeming in November 1940. As a result of the incident on 13th March 1941 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment. It was repaired on site and continued to serve with 10 Squadron. It was again slightly damaged by flak on 28th May 1941 as recorded above but this damage does not appear to have been recorded on its history. Cat.A/FB is the likely assessment and a repair on site at Leeming also probable. By August 1941 it had been transferred to 19 OTU at Kinloss. It later transferred to 10 OTU at Abingdon and by 12th December 1944 it was in MU store awaiting disposal. It was struck off charge on 18th August 1945.