On the night of 25th / 26th June 1942 this 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft was one of twelve of the unit that were scheduled for flying the 1000 bomber raid on Bremen. Although a Coastal Command training unit maximum effort was called for and this drew in a few slightly more unusual aircraft for the raid. During the course of the night the Hudson was attacked by and subsequently damaged by an Me110. This injured three of the crew, damaged the flying controls and damaged the port engine. A fire burnt in the port engine for around ten minutes but later went out. The aircraft had no rudder and elevator control and was only flown back to Thornaby with difficulty with it also being nose heavy. The pilot decided to crash land the aircraft rather than make a landing as he had no control should a swing develop and he did not know the state of the undercarriage. The aircraft belly landed at Thornaby at 05.10hrs and the aircraft was further damaged.
Pilot - P/O Henry Ward Beecher Wright RAFVR (115576). Slightly injured.
Navigator - F/O Anthony William Barwood RAF (81654).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Henry Arthur George Ferre RAF (47795). Slightly injured.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Frederick Walker RAF (623229). Slightly injured.
Hudson T9411 was purchased by the British Purchasing Commission without contract from The Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California and was ferried to the UK by the NAFU, arriving in May 1941. It was received by 20 MU on 26th October 1941 and was then taken on charge by No.6 (C)O.T.U. at Thornaby on 18th November 1941. As a result of the damage sustained at Thornaby on 26th June 1942 the damage was assessed as being repairable Cat.B/FB and it was taken away for a repair in works. Once servicable it was flown to 22 MU on 1st March 1943 which appears to have resulted in long term storage. In October 1943 it required another repair in works. Once servicable it was flown to 29 MU on 28th November 1943. It was then taken on charge by 279 Squadron at Bircham Newton on 24th January 1944 but returned to 22 MU on 28th December 1944 for storage awaiting disposal. It remained in store until being struck off charge on 31st March 1946.
Henry Wright's birth was registered in Warrington in 1918. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th December 1941 and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942. He completed his training on flying Hudsons and was posted to 48 Squadron. As Acting F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service with 48 Squadron, Gazetted on 12th November 1943. No citation for his DFC has been located. He was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 19th December 1943. Having survived the War he remained in the RAFVR taking the rank of F/O when the RAFVR was reconstituted in 1947, he was graded as F/Lt on 1st March 1951 with seniority of 21st October 1947 and finally relinquished his commission on 21st October 1955. It is likely that he married in Warrington in 1942 and that he died in St.Albans in 1992.
Henry Ferre was awarded the DFM way back on 8th March 1940 while in the rank of Ac1 for "gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations."
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