Whitley Z6798 damaged by enemy fighter, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th August 1941 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Hannover, they took off from
Topcliffe at 22.08hrs and bombed the target successfully. The aircraft was then attacked by an enemy fighter aircraft which caused some damage to the Whitley.
The pilot was able to make a return to Yorkshire and land without further incident at Topcliffe at 05.27hrs.
Pilot - Sgt W J Wilson.
? - Sgt J R Roe.
? - Sgt R H Adamson,
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Philip Geoffrey Brett RAF (977478).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard Starbuck RAFVR (1325482), of Burton on Trent.
? - Sgt W Nicholl.
Whitley Z6798 was built to contract 106962 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 5th June 1941. It was taken on charge
by 102 Squadron at Topcliffe later the same month. It was slightly damaged by enemy gunfire on Ops on 28th June 1941 and as a result of the incident in August 1941 Cat.A/FB damage was recorded both times, the aircraft was repaired on site both times and and returned to the unit. On an unknown date the aircraft was transferred to the care of 10 OTU at Abingdon. On 6th May 1944 it took off from
Stanton Harcourt for the crew to practice a single engine landing when the port engine cut on climbing out, the pilot force landed the aircraft near the
airfield with injury to any of the crew. The aircraft was initially inspected and given Cat.B/FA damage but upon further inspection it was Re.Cat.E and struck off charge on 1st June 1944.
A P/O John Robert Walsh Roe RCAF (J/15341), of Notre Dame de Grace, Montreal, Canada was made a PoW. Nothing more is yet known about him and he
may well be the airman given above.
Philip Brett was awarded the DFM with 102 Squadron (Gazetted on 23rd December 1941), the Citation reads.. "Sgt Brett has been instrumental in the
safe return of his aircraft on at least five difficult occasions. In June and again in September 1941. he was a member of the crew of an aircraft which
was in distress, but by his exceptional skill in wireless work the aircraft was landed safely. One night in October 1941 his aircraft was flying in a
gale with a faulty compass, many miles off course over the North Sea, His outstanding ability as a wireless operator enabled the aircraft to land safely
with very little petrol left. Returning from an operation on another occasion when his aircraft had been forced very much off its course. Sgt Brett
obtained wireless bearings from several stations, thus enabling his aircraft to be landed safely at base. He has set an excellent example of courage,
coolness and devotion to duty." He rose to F/O on probation on 22nd October 1943 and survived the War.
Sgt Starbuck was still serving with 102 Squadron on 26th June 1942. On this date he was in Halifax W7654 which was on Ops to Bremen when the aircraft
crashed into the North Sea. Sgt Starbuck's body was the only one to wash ashore and he is buried in Becklingen War Cemetery. He was 26 years old.
The full identities of the others on Z6798 are not yet confirmed. Sgt Adamson may well have been killed later in the War as a F/O Robert Hartny
Adamson RCAF (J/16256) was killed flying with 83 Squadron on 27th January 1944 and is buried in Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium.