Whitley Z9147 at Leeming airfield.
On 30th September 1941 this aircraft was one of a number of 77 Squadron aircraft that had flown operational flights to Stettin, this aircraft did not get lined up with the runway correctly, at 03.10hrs the aircraft stalled and hit trees on the airfield boundary and crashed into a small area of woodland. Only one of the crew sustained injuries.
Pilot - Sgt Robert Eric Wheatley RAFVR (742812).
Second Pilot - Sgt Douglas Charles Smith RAFVR (1282115).
Observer - P/O Gordon Kenneth Birch RAFVR (87360).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt R D Ladkin RAFVR (955482).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Thomas Henry Warren RAFVR (917628). Injured.
Whitley Z9147 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 1st September 1941. It was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Leeming soon after. As a result of the damage on 30th September 1941 at Leeming Cat.E2/FB damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off.
Sgt Wheatley completed a Tour with 77 Squadron and was awarded the DFM (Gazetted on 24th October 1941). A reference to him being the pilot of Whitley
Z6751 when it was slightly damaged at Rufforth on 30th August 1941. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 25th
October 1941. He was later posted to instruct with 19 OTU at Kinloss and was killed on 24th March 1942 when Whitley Z6933 crashed on high ground near
Glen Isla. He was twenty eight years old and is buried in Montrose Cemetery but was married to a girl from Derby. He was also born in the Derby area
in 1914 and probably married in Doncaster in 1941. The Whitley Project are known to have recovered items from Z6933.