Whitley Z6567 at Dishforth airfield.
On the night of 18th / 19th May 1941 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Kiel and took off from Dishforth at 22.40hrs.
On their return to the area of Dishforth the visibility was poor and the flare path set out for landing meant a crosswing landing had to be made. This crew made an approach to land but never properly lined up with the flare path, at 05.39hrs, on dropping down through mist the aircraft drifted off the runway line because of the crosswing and towards a hanger with aircraft parked outside of it. Having no speed to attempt to take off again pilot was left to try and avoid the aircraft but struck Whitley Z6538. Both airaft sustained damage but both were repaired, this would suggest that the collision speed was fairly slow. One member of the crew of Whitley Z6567 sustained minor injuries.
Pilot - Sgt Frederick Bruce Ryan Wilson RAFVR (969881). Sprained ankle.
Second Pilot - P/O Cecil Ernest Crichton RAFVR (61989).
Observer - Sgt Jesse Bowdler Wilson RAFVR (751757).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Garnett RAFVR (966875).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Charles Frederick Ranson RAFVR (950534).
Whitley Z6567 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd March 1941. It was taken on charge by 51 Squadron at Dishforth shortly after and sustained minor Cat.A/FB damage on 19th May 1941. It was then repaired on site and returned to 51 Squadron use. on 9th November 1941 it was lost when failed to return from an operational flight to Essen and it crashed in Holland with the loss of its then crew of five.
Charles Ranson was killed in the crash of Whitley Z6663 near Ingleby Greenhow, Yorkshire on 9th June 1941. He is buried at Manor Park Cemetery, Essex.
Sgt Garnett had survived baling out of Whitley P5013 on 12th February 1941 over the Doncaster area. He was later posted to 405 Squadron and was awarded the DFM for service with 405 Squadron.
Cecil Crichton was killed on 17th June 1941 when Whitley Z6479 failed to return from Ops to Cologne. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was one of a small number of Americans serving in the RAF at the time and his parents were from Alhambra, California.
Frederick Wilson later received a commission in 1942 and was awarded the Air Force Cross in June 1944. He remained in the RAF until at least the mid-1950s.
Jesse Wilson was awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron in August 1941 but by the time the notification had come through he had been granted a commission. He survived the war, received a Mention in Despatches in June 1946 and would also serve in the RAF until the 1950s.