Whitley Z6873 at Leeming airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th March 1942 the crew of this aircraft had left Leeming at 19.00hrs to fly an operational flight to Emden, they bombed the target area at 21.56hrs from 12,500ft and returned to base. At 01.15hrs the aircraft stalled just above the runway and a heavy landing was made causing the undercarriage to collapse. The air speed indicator wasn't functioning correctly at the time as ice had formed on the pitot head. The cockpit perspex was also obscured by ice at the time.
Pilot - Sgt Geoffrey Silva RAAF (402258), of Marouba, New South Wales, Australia.
Second Pilot - Sgt Joseph Wallace Paul Emile Louthood RCAF (R/77304).
Observer? - Sgt Cooper.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt A F Smith.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Joseph Dunseath RAF (965257).
Geoffrey Silva was born on 19th March 1916 in Inverell, New South Wales to Frederick and Amy Eveline Silva. He was a carpet weaver prior to enlisting into the RAAF on 22nd
July 1940 in Sydney and after basic training he was awarded his Wings on 13th January 1941. On arrival in the UK he trained at 19 OTU begining 5th August 1941 and was posted to
77 Squadron on 16th September 1941. He first flew with 77 Squadron on 11th October 1941 and his last operational flight with them was on 17th April 1942. He left 77 Squadron for
24 OTU at Honeybourne on 28th April 1942 having flown nineteen operational flights. He was granted a commission on 15th May 1942 to the rank of P/O. On 1st August 1942 he flew an
operational flight to Dusseldorf in Whitley BD347 but the aircraft was attacked by two night-fighters over Belgium and shot down. All four airmen on board were instructors. One
of his then crew was killed but he and two others survived and evaded capture to return to the UK via Gibraltar just over a month later. He was awarded the DFC soon after,
Gazetted on 30th October 1942 but no citation has yet been located. He was promoted to F/O on 15th November 1942. He then served with 119 Squadron flying Sunderlands between
December 1942 and April 1943 and was posted to 210 Squadron in May 1943. He was reported as missing 13th June 1943 flying Catalina FP232 which failed to return from the Bay of
Biscay. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was twenty seven years old.
F/Sgt Dunseath was awarded the DFM for service with 77 Squadron, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. The citation for his DFM reads.. "F/Sgt Dunseath has completed a large number
of successful sorties. An exceptionally skilful air gunner, who is thoroughy painstaking in preparation, his courage and tenacity in attack have been worthy of high praise."
He was later made a PoW on 22nd March 1944 when 207 Squadron Lancaster ME666 failed to return from Ops to Frankfurt.
Sgt Louthood would survive the serious accident to Whitley Z9221 on Kirby Malzeard Moor, between Masham and Pateley Bridge on 28th March 1942. Nothing more is known about him.
Whitley Z6873 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 8th July 1941. Later that month it was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Middleton St.George where it was coded "EY-P" and on 20th October 1941 it moved to Croft with 78 Squadron. In March 1978 Squadron ceased operating Whitley MkV's and the aircraft is believed to have passed into the hands of 77 Squadron at Leeming. As a result of the damage sustained on 13th March 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was the assessment but Cat.B usually meant a repair in works resulted. It next appears on charge with 24 OTU at Honeybourne on an unspecified date in the records and by April 1944 it was in MU store awaiting disposal. It was struck off charge on 15th May 1944.