On the night of 8th / 9th May 1941 the crew of this aircraft were one of a number of 10 Squadron crews tasked with bombing Bremen. They took off from Leeming at 22.08hrs. An hour after taking off a problem with the starboard engine resulted in the airscrew going into a fine pitch which could not be altered. The starboard engine began to overheat so the crew abandoned the flight and made for base. On landing at Leeming at 01.15hrs the starboard engine cut out on touching down which caused a swing, the right undercarriage gave way and the aircraft sustained damage as it skidded to a halt.
Pilot - P/O William Freund RAFVR (88870).
Second Pilot - Sgt John Anthony Stephens Cope RAF (1154317).
Observer - Sgt James Francis Bassett RAFVR (745308).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Henry Hooley RAFVR (751264).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Inglis Hugh Aird RAFVR (968113).
Twenty year old Sgt John Cope sadly died on 7th June 1941 almost certainly in a road accident in the Wetherby area. He is buried at Leeming Churchyard. His death was registered in the Wetherby District of Yorkshire.
F/Sgt Robert Aird was killed on 6th July 1941 when Whitley Z6793 was shot down over Holland on Ops to Munster. He was twenty one years old and is buried in Hardenberg General Cemetery, Holland.
James Bassett was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd September 1941. He later received a commission on 13th November 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (135461) and was promoted to F/O on 13th July 1943. He was awarded the DFC for further service with 158 Squadron, Gazetted on 29th October 1943. The citation for his DFC reads.. "As navigator, this officer has taken part in many sorties, involving attacks on industrial centres in the Ruhr and numerous other important and well defended targets. His exceptional ability has been evident throughout and has contributed materially to the many successes achieved. By his outstanding determination and unswerving devotion to duty. This officer has set a highly commendable example." He later re-trained as a pilot and survived the War. He remained in the RAFVR until 16th May 1952.
F/Sgt Hooley flew in the first two Thousand Bomber raids in May / June 1942 with 22 OTU. He was awarded the DFM for service with 196 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th October 1943. He was awarded the Air Force Cross for later service, Gazetted on 1st January 1951.
William Freund was granted a commission in the RAF on 30th November 1940 (with seniority of 19th November 1940) to the rank of P/O on probation. Nothing more is then known of him; he wasn't killed in RAF service or promoted from P/O.
Whitley Z6496 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 27th January 1941 then taken on charge by 10 Squadron based at Leeming. The date 10 Squadron took charge of the aircraft is not known. It was slightly damaged by flak on 14th March 1941 in 10 Squadron use and was probably repaired at Leeming although the damage was not recorded on its published service history. The damage on landing at Leeming on 9th May 1941 was again not listed in the history and it was not used by 10 Squadron on operations again in May 1941. It was force landed near Plompton, North Yorkshire on 12th September 1941 and Cat.B/FB damage was the assessment. From there the aircraft was taken away by road to be repaired in works. On completion of the repair it was placed into MU storage. On or around 10th July 1942 the aircraft was takenn on charge by the newly formed 81 O.T.U. at Ashbourne then on 1st September 1942 it moved with this unit to Whitchurch Heath (Tilstock). It crashed on 2nd February 1943 after suffering an engine failure on approach to land at Whitchurch Heath, the aircraft crashed on undershooting and caught fire. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was later recorded and the aircraft was written off.