Whitley Z6841 damaged by enemy action, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 7th / 8th September 1941 the crew of this 58 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Berlin and took off at 20.08hrs. The aircraft bombed the target area
but was hit by flak after bombing, the aircraft was also attacked by a Luftwaffe aircraft and sustained bullet strikes. The crew were able to make a safe return to land at Linton
on Ouse at 05.35hrs.
Pilot - Acting S/Ldr Stuart Auldjo Middleton DFC RAF(AAF) (90371).
Second Pilot - Sgt Wesley Leonard Belous RCAF (R/61812).
Observer - Sgt Joseph Geoffrey Rich RAAF (406044).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Eric Leonard Styles RAF (761201).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Heard.
Wesley Belous was later posted to 76 Squadron and died on 19th July 1942 when Halifax W7670 crashed near Yarm. He was twenty three years old and is buried in Darlington's
West Cemetery.
Stuart Middleton was one of 612 Squadron's founding members in June 1937. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on on 10th September 1937 while serving with
612 Squadron, he was promoted to F/O on 10th April 1939 and was still with this auxiliary squadron (who were an Army Co-operation squadron). He was promoted to F/Lt on
3rd September 1940 and was awarded the DFC (for service with a currently unknown unit) with Gazetted on 22nd October 1940. Following time with 58 Squadron he was posted
to 35 Squadron later in 1941 and was then promoted to S/Ldr (temp) on 1st December 1941. On the night of 30th December 1941 he was flying Halifax V9979 on Ops to Brest
when the aircraft was shot down by flak over the target area, he and all of his then crew were killed. S/Ldr Stuart Middleton is buried in Brest Cemetery and was twenty nine years old.
F/Sgt Eric Styles was killed on 1st August 1942 and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. He was almost certainly instructing at 24 OTU at the time and was killed when Whitley Z9512 was lost on Ops to Dusseldorf.
Sgt Rich was killed on 13th October 1941 when 58 Squadron Whitley Z9155 crashed near Pocklington.
Whitley Z6841 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 8th July 1941. It was taken on charge by 58 Squadron
at Linton on Ouse the following month. It sustained at least two minor battle damage incidents that were not recorded in the published Air Britain history of the aircraft; on
8th September 1941 and 8th November 1941 (landed at Langham) with what must have been minor Cat.A/FB assessment on both times. It would have been repaired on site following both incidents, possibly by ground crew. On 28th December 1941 Cat.Em/FB damage was recorded when it was lost without trace during an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf with the then crew of five being killed.