Whitley Z6958 damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th September 1941 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt, the aircraft took off at
20.02hrs and attacked from 10,800ft but was hit by flak. The pilot was able to land safely at base of Topcliffe without further damage or incident at
04.29hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley Edward Herbert Morgan RAFVR (1166724), of Purley, Surrey.
Second Pilot - Sgt Lawrence William Carr RAF (1250644), of Crayford, Kent.
Observer - Sgt R K Thomson (Probably Richard Keith Thomson RCAF, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt James Alexander Fraser RAFVR (974156).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Gayler RAFVR (1356736).
Air Gunner - Sgt J "Jock" Williamson (1378999?).
This aircraft was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 3rd August 1941 and was
then taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Topcliffe later the same month. As a result of the minor flak incident on 13th September 1941 Cat.A/FB damage
was recorded and the aircraft was repaired on site. On 17th October 1941 it sustained more serious flak damage on Ops to Duisburg and after landing
safely Cat.B/FB damage was initially recorded but after further assessment it was Re.Cat.E and struck off charge as beyond economic repair.
Stanley Morgan received a commission on 24th May 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). P/O Morgan and Sgt Fraser were killed
on 25th June 1942 in Halifax R9446, Morgan was twenty one years old, Fraser being twenty seven, and both are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Carr was to have flown in Whitley Z6868 on 31st August 1941 but noticing a problem he and his crew were able to run clear before the aircraft
exploded just prior to taking off and all escaped injury. This incident is detailed on this website. He later converted to Halifaxes and on 28th April
1942 he was the pilot of Halifax W7653 on Ops to Cologne when his aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over Belgium. He was able to evade capture
thanks to the Comete Line and crossed into Spain on 13th May 1942. He later received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th June 1943.
Sgt Williamson was the only survivor of Whitley Z6800 on 30th November 1941 on Ops to Hamburg, the rest of his crew were killed and he became a PoW.
The observer was probably Richard Keith Thomson RCAF. He was born on 28th December 1917 to Norman and Ruby Thomson in and enlisted into the RCAF
in Saskatoon in July 1940. He later received a commission and was posted to 76 Squadron. On 31st March 1944 he was flying in Halifax LW696 on Ops to
Nurnberg when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter. He is buried in Hanover War Cemetery. Lake Thomson in Saskatchewan is named in his honour.