On 30th June 1944 the pilot of this 527 Squadron aircraft was making an approach to land at Thornaby airfield when it crashed in a field some 600 yards short of the runway on the northern side of the airfield. All four aircrew were taken to hospital at Hemlington where one of the crew died of his injuries. The aircraft was on the books of 527 Squadron at the time who were a radar calibration unit so one could rightfully assume it was engaged in this work when the mishap near Thornaby occurred.
Blenheim V6511 was built to contract 1485/39 by Rootes Securities at Speke and was delivered to the RAF in May 1941. After acceptance at M.U. it was issued to 226 Squadron at Wattisham before being transferred to 82 Squadron at Bodney in November 1941. On 15th March 1942 when 82 Squadron moved overseas the aircraft was left behind at Bodney to the care of 21 Squadron. It moved again, to 114 Squadron at West Raynham in July 1942 and was then flown into MU storage in September 1942. It was later issued to 527 (Radar Calibration) Squadron at Digby in June 1943 where it served until being written off with Cat.E2/FA damage near Thornaby in June 1944. The aircraft was probably detached to Church Fenton airfield at the time of the accident in June 1944 for a base in Northern England rather than lengthy flights back down south after each calibration in Yorkshire.
Pilot - W/O Gordon White Potter DFC RAFVR (1190420), aged 24. Died of injuries. Buried Ellesmere Cemetery, Shropshire.
Navigator - F/O Colin William Carstairs Turner DFC RAFVR (156453). Seriously injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - W/O A G Cailes RAF (755713). Seriously injured.
Passenger - F/Lt Thomas Frederick Wilson RAF (105644). Seriously injured.
Gordon Potter gained his DFC for service with 223 Squadron Gazetted on 3rd March 1944.
Colin Turner was born in January 1922. He received a commission as P/O on probation (emergency) on 3rd July 1943 and was promoted to F/O on 3rd January 1944. He was awarded the DFC for service with 223 Squadron in North Africa, Gazetted on 3rd March 1944. Following the accident near Thornaby he never returned to flying duties and left the RAF on the grounds of
medical unfitness on 6th September 1945. After the war he became an MP for the Conservative Party among other numerous achievments and positions he held. He was awarded the CBE "for political service", Gazetted on 31st December 1984 and received a Knighthood "for political and public service" in The Queen's Birthday Honour list, Gazetted on 12th June 1993. He died in March 2014 in West Runton, Norfolk.
Thomas Wilson received a commission in April 1941 while a member of the Southern Rhodesian Air Force. This notification was cancelled later in the year and he was granted a commission as Acting P/O on probation on 1st October 1941 in the RAF. He was graded as P/O on probation on 29th October 1941 and rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942.