Whitley Z6936 damaged by flak, 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 20.25hrs.
The aircraft was hit by flak and received slight damage, the crew were able to make a safe return to land at Linton on Ouse at 06.33hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Lewis Victor Rosser (745193).
Second Pilot - P/O Eric Graham Mounsey RAF (45061).
Observer - P/O Leslie John Percival Foster RAF (68739).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard Stewart Thorpe RAFVR (1355432).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Frederick Stentiford RCAF (R/73201), of Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA.
Whitley Z6936 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 21st July 1941. It was taken on charge by 58 Squadron at Linton on Ouse shortly after completion and as a result of the damage sustained on 8th September 1941 minor Cat.A/FB damage would have been the result of the damage inspection. After this damage it was repaired on site at Linton on Ouse but was lost soon after on 20th September 1941 when it failed to return from Ops to Stettin with its then crew being killed. Cat.W(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork.
Sgt Rosser left 58 Squadron on 20th September 1941. He received a commission in 1944 and was awarded the DFC for service with 115 Squadron in November 1945.
P/O Foster was posted to 35 Squadron on 15th September 1941. On 30th December 1941 he was killed flying Halifax V9979 on Ops to Brest, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
On the night of 7th / 8th November 1941 P/O Mouncey was flying in Whitley Z6818 failed to return from an operational flight, he and is then crew are all
commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He had received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation in the RAF on 27th November 1940 on transfer from the Royal Engineers.
On the same night; 7th / 8th November 1941 Sgt Stentiford was flying Whitley Z6972 which was believed to have been shot down over the North Sea. Again all his then
crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Leonard Stewart Thorpe was posted to 35 Squadron on 29th September 1941 and survived the crash of Halifax L9579 near Youlton in October 1941. He was awarded the DFM, DFC and Bar to the DFC before the end of the War.