Whitley Z6494 at Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 20th / 21st March 1941 seven 102 Squadron Whitleys undertook an an operational flight to attack the U-Boat base at Lorient. This aircraft took off from Topcliffe at 18.45hrs and the crew released their bomb load over the target area from 10,500 feet. Owing to the boggy nature of the centre part of Topcliffe airfield at this time, the flarepath had to be set up near the side of the airfield and near to a boundary hedge. This aircraft returned to the skies over Topcliffe and a landing was attempted at 01.37hrs. Unfortunately the aircraft undershot the flarepath and struck a tree. The pilot was able to crash land on the airfield although the front fuselage had received some damage. The aircraft appears to have remained bogged down where it had crash landed for over an hour. Other returning 102 Squadron aircraft were kept circling while it was moved clear. At 03.15hrs Whitley Z6485 also clipped a tree on approach to land and also crashed.
Pilot - W/Co Charles Victor Howes RAF (27038).
Second Pilot - P/O George Geoffrey Davies RAFVR (87415).
? - P/O J A Brookbank.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Robert Mourton RAFVR (904638).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Netherclift RAFVR (939319).
Whitley Z6494 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 26th January 1941. It was taken on
charge by 102 Squadron at Topcliffe in February 1941. As a result of this incident on 21st March 1941 Cat.A damage was recorded and the aircraft was repaired
on site and returned to the unit. On 30th October 1941 it was taken on charge by 1485 (Target Towing) Flight at Coningsby, on 7th January 1942 the unit was
re-designated 1485 Target Towing & Gunnery Flight. By the end of 1942 the aircraft was in the hands of 19 OTU at Kinloss where it served for some time but by
August 1944 it had been placed into long term MU storage and was struck off charge and returned to produce on 24th April 1945.
Leslie Netherclift was still flying with 102 Squadron on 26th July 1941 when Whitley Z6576 failed to return to base from Ops to Hannover and he and his then crew were
recorded as lost without trace. He was twenty five years old and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Douglas Mourton received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on
22nd April 1943 (142990) but in the Technical Branch of the RAF and was promoted to F/O on 22nd October 1943. He died in Australia in 2004.
George Davies received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th October 1940. By July 1941 he was in the rank of Acting F/Lt
and was awarded the DSO for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted on 8th August 1941. The citation for his award reads.. "One night in July 1941, this officer was the captain of an aircraft which carried out an attack on Bremen. Over the target area the aircraft was subjected to heavy
anti-aircraft fire whilst held in the beams of a concentration of searchlights. Nevertheless, Flight Lieutenant Davies continued his bombing run and was shortly engaged
by enemy fighters. In the course of the action the rear gunner was killed and much damage inflicted to the aircraft causing it to go out of control at 10,500 feet. In
spite of great difficulties, Flight Lieutenant Davies, showing exceptional skill and admirable presence of mind, succeeded in regaining control after the aircraft had
fallen some. 7,000 feet. Coming out of the spin the aircraft was again attacked by enemy fighters but Flight Lieutenant Davies skilfully maintained a level flight and
with a superlative display of airmanship succeeded in flying back to an aerodrome in this country where he landed safely without further damage to the aircraft or
injury to his crew. Throughout the whole of this most hazardous operation, Flight Lieutenant Davies displayed the utmost courage and determination and was certainly
responsible for saving the aircraft and the crew from destruction." He was promoted to F/O on 19th October 1941 and to F/Lt on October 1943. By July 1944 he was flying with 156 Squadron PFF and on 14th / 15th July 1944 he was the
pilot of Lancaster PA984 on Ops to attack Revigny when the aircraft crashed in France, a number of his then crew were killed but he and one other survived and became a PoW. Postwar
he remained in the RAF and was appointed to a permanent commission in the RAF as F/Lt in April 1949 and was promoted to S/Ldr on 1st January 1955.
Charles Howes received a commission was back in May 1928. As W/Co he was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted on 22nd August 1941.