Whitley Z6641 damaged by enemy aircraft, crashed on landing at Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 2nd / 3rd May 1941 this 77 Squadron aircraft was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Emden and took off
from Topcliffe at 22.02hrs, the crew located the target and bombed from 16,000ft and made the return flight to Yorkshire
without incident. Whilst circling over a beacon around Topcliffe airfield the aircraft was attacked by an enemy aircraft
(probably a Junkers Ju88) from the rear of the Whitley from 400 yards. The Whitley sustained damage which effected the
controls of the Whitley and after the rear gunner of the Whitley returned fire the enemy aircraft broke off the attack.
The damaged Whitley landed at Topcliffe soon after at 03.55hrs but over shot the runway and crossed the boundary hedge
and was slightly damaged. The Whitley's crew were not injured. A Luftwaffe claim was made on this night by Lt.Feverbaum
of 1/NJG 2, but of a Hampden claimed to have been shot down at 03.30hrs near Church Fenton. This claim probably relates to the Whitley incident.
Pilot - Sgt Mills.
Second Pilot - Sgt Jack Richard Thomas Hazelton RAFVR (906210), wife of Harrogate, Yorkshire.
Observer - P/O Geoffrey Vivian Heslop RAFVR (85018), of Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Howard John Pingel RAF (552859)
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Davis.
Jack Hazelton was born in Lewisham, London in 1913. He leant to fly at the Horton Kirkby Flying Club, Sussex and gained his Royal Aero
Club certificate (Cert.No.19915) on 28th August 1939. He, P/O Heslop and Sgt Mills were flying in Whitley Z6411 on 3rd May 1941 when it was
attacked and damaged by an enemy aircraft as they were landing at Topcliffe. Sgt Hazelton was awarded the DFM for service with 77 Squadron,
Gazetted on 23rd December 1941. He was later posted to 15 (P)AFU to instruct, sadly on 21st March 1943, as Warrant Officer, he was the pilot
of Oxford AB725 that crashed in Oxfordshire and both he and his pupil died. He was married to Muriel Hazelton of Harrogate and as a result he
was buried in Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. He was twenty nine years old.
Sgt Pingel was also flying in Whitley T4279 on 13th June 1941 and was also killed, he too is buried in Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, Holland.
Geoffrey Heslop received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 8th September 1940. P/O Heslop was killed on 13th June 1941
flying in Whitley T4279 on Ops to Schwerte when his aircraft was shot down by a night fighter. He was twenty and is buried in Bergen op Zoom
War Cemetery, Holland. On the CWGC database he is listed as a pilot.