Whitley Z6487 damaged by enemy aircraft, returned to Dishforth airfield.

On the evening of 8th April 1941 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight bomb Kiel and they took off from Dishforth at 21.05hrs. Outbound and some sixty miles off Flamborough at between 21.40hrs and 21.55hrs the Whitley was attacked by an unidentified aircraft and it sustained damage to the starboard wing and across the fuselage. One of the crew received a bullet wound to the right shoulder. They jettisoned the bomb load and returned to base, landing at Dishforth at 23.00hrs.

Pilot - P/O Gordon Leonard Mattey RAF (81042). Slightly injured.

Sgt Alan Roderick Thomas RAFVR (901168).

P/O Peter Arthur Leuw RAFVR (149472).

Sgt Thomas Colin Imrie RAFVR (902678)

Sgt Frederick McMullen RAFVR (976383).

Whitley Z6487 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 18th January 1941. It was initially despatched to MU store and from there it was taken on charge by 51 Squadron at Dishforth in February 1941. As a result of the damage sustained on 8th April 1941 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It was then lost on 19th July 1941 when it failed to return from Ops to Hannover, one of the crew were killed and the rest of the then crew became PoW. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork.

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