Whitley Z6628 very slightly damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 15th / 16th June 1941 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft took off from Topcliffe at 23.03hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb rail yards at Dusseldorf. While over Germany at 01.17hrs the aircraft received minor battle damage caused by flak. A shell fragment came through the front of the aircraft and struck one member of the crew, braking his left arm. Upon landing at Topcliffe at 06.43hrs the injured airman was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital. This incident does not feature at all in the 77 Squadron records but the injured airman has an AIR81 casualty file relating to it in the National Archives. He was later awarded the DFC for his actions, the citation for which states... "One night in June, 1941, this officer was the observer of an aircraft which carried out an attack on Dusseldorf. During the attack the aircraft was hit and a piece of shrapnel, which entered the perapex of the front turret, struck Pilot Officer Geoghegan on the left arm leaving a jagged open wound. Nevertheless, although in great pain and suffering from shock, Pilot Officer Geoghegan insisted on executing his duties as bomb aimer and, when a tourniquet had been applied, he returned to his post and finally released his bombs over the target. He subsequently navigated the aircraft safely to base."
Pilot - P/O Ralph Edward Tidswell RAF (87667).
Observer - P/O John Patrick Geoghegan RAF (62263). Broken arm.
? - Sgt S A Evans RAFVR (903320).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Cedric Arthur Foster RAFVR (944444).
Sgt Evans was made a PoW on 7th July 1941 when 77 Squadron Whitley Z6752 force landed in Holland.
Sgt Foster was killed with 77 Squadron when Whitley Z6934 failed to return from Berlin on 21st September 1941. He is buried in Berlin War Cemetery, Germany.
Whitley Z6628 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 21st March 1941. The date it was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Topcliffe is not yet known. As a result of the minor battle damage sustained on 16th June 1941 Cat.A/FB would have been the damage assessment and a repair on site was carried out. After service with 77 Squadron it was transferred to 19 O.T.U. at Kinloss. On 11th March 1942 it was force landed in Findhorn Bay on return from a cross country training flight. Two of the crew were killed and one sustained injuries. Cat.E/FA damage was recorded on the paperwork.
John Geoghegan was awarded an immediate DFC on 25th July 1941 for his actions in the above incident. He was later awarded the Bar to the DFC for service with 156 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th April 1944 and also a Mention in Despatches in 1945.
P/O Tidswell was killed with 77 Squadron on 28th June 1941 flying Whitley Z6630 on Ops to Bremen. He is buried in Hamburg Cemetery, Germany.