Whitley Z6507 damaged by flak, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 18th / 19th August 1941 the crew on this 58 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to Dunkirk, they took off from Linton on Ouse at around 21.00hrs. Releasing their load over the target area at 23.08hrs the aircraft was hit by flak around the same time. The crew were able to make a safe return to land at Linton on Ouse at 01.32hrs.
Pilot - Sgt John Andrew Trevor Meredith RAFVR (1153692).
Second Pilot - Sgt Howell.
Observer - Sgt Hill (Possibly Sgt Frederick Victor Herbert Hill RAFVR (921750)).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Frank Victor Thomas Cairns RAFVR (909970).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Rene Leonidas Joseph Lizotte RCAF (R/69765).
John Meredith was granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 16th February 1942 and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 7th July 1942, but the unit he was awarded this
with is not listed in the London Gazette notification. I would guess he was instructing at an OTU or HCU at the time and flew in the Thousand Bomber raid on Cologne for which his
DFC was awarded. The citation for his DFC reads.. "One night in May 1942, P/O
Meredith, as captain of an aircraft carried out an attack on a target in Cologne. On the return journey his aircraft was damaged and two of his crew were wounded. Despite this
P/O Meredith, with great skill and determination flew his damaged aircraft for over two hours through searchlights and intense anti-aircraft fire. He eventually landed at an
airfield near the English coast without further damage to his aircraft or injury to his crew." He was later promoted to F/O on 16th August 1942 and F/Lt on 16th January 1944.
F/Lt Meredith was killed on 9th / 10th May 1944 when 83 Squadron Lancaster ND494 was badly damaged by flak on an operational flight to bomb the Gnome and Rhone factory at
Gennevilliers, France. A number of the crew survived the eventual crash in Northern France but he and two others of the crew died as a result. He was twenty eight years old
and is buried in Evreux Communal Cemetery, France.
F/Sgt Rene Lizotte was killed on 30th November 1941. He was twenty one years old and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Frank Cairns survived baling out of Whitley Z6931 over Harrogate on 17th July 1941. He would complete a Tour with 58 Squadron, he later received a commission
and served with 466 Squadron. For service with 466 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. He remained in the RAF at least until 1954.
Whitley Z6507 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 5th February 1941. It was taken on charge
by 58 Squadron on an unknown date but was being used operationally by them on 12th March 1941. The battle damage incident recorded above on 19th August 1941 and an earlier one in May 1941 are
not listed in the published Air Britain history of the aircraft possibly because the damage was minor and it was repaired locally. On 1st December 1941 Cat.Em damage was recorded when it was lost without trace during an operational flight to Hamburg. The then crew of five were killed.