Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

The crew was completing a night training flight and was returning to his base in Belfast-Aldergrove when the pilot in command lost his orientation and continued to the northeast to Scotland. While running out of fuel in low visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Fathan Glinne Mountain Range, near the village of Balquhidder, by the Loch Voil. A crew member was seriously injured while five others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John James Westoby, pilot, †
Sgt William John Barnfather, pilot, †
Sgt John Whitsed, observer, †
Sgt James Gerrard Curtis, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Perfect, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt W. S. Hamilton, air gunner.

On a night training flight, the aircraft hit a hill located southwest of Nairn. Three crew members were seriously injured while four others were killed. Two days later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Crew (19th OTU):
F/Lt Raymond Wilson Pitts McFarland, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Johnson Sampson, pilot, †
F/O Alexander Chalmers Barrie, navigator, †
Sgt Ronald Hartley, air bomber, †
F/Sgt Arthur Thomas Hawkins, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Ronald Alfred Hartwell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Padley, air gunner.

Shortly after take off from Gibraltar-North Front Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. They were involved in a test flight following a maintenance operation.
Crew:
Sgt Samuel D. J. Cunrock,
P/O Philip R. Dean,
Cpt Charles G. K. Browne,
Ronald S. Mallett.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming in the evening of April 26 on an operation to Rostock. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak. The crew elected to return to base but was eventually forced to ditch the airplane in the Fehmarn Belt, off Rodbyhavn. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Edward Henriques Valentine,
Sgt Hamilton Durnam,
Sgt John Waterworth,
Sgt Harry Wellington Hands.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming in the evening of April 23 on an operation to Rostock. Passing sluth of Kiel at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Grevenkrug, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Brian Whitham, pilot,
F/Sgt Allan Wilson Johnson, observer,
Sgt Arthur Whitaker, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald Wilde, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Tempsford to drop leaflets over the region of Saint-Etienne, France. On returning to their briefed landing
airfield at RAF Tangmere, the crew encountered a very thick mist and were ordered to divert to RAF Boscombe Down. While doing so the Whitley, flying too low, crashed and caught fire on the experimental range at Porton Down. Four crew members were killed and the air gunner was injured.
Crew:
P/O Ivan Anderson Miller, pilot, †
Sgt Raymond Fred Shaddick, pilot, †
F/Sgt Walter John Edward Lines, observer, †
Sgt Sydney William Francis Leigh, wireless operator, †
Sgt K. Hubbard, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2029LT on March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Unable to locate the target area due to poor weather conditions, the crew decided to return to base the following morning. The airplane strayed off course until it impacted the slope of Mt Great Whernside located two miles northeast of Kittlewell. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ernest Clow, pilot,
P/O Arthur Scott, pilot,
Sgt Richard Stanley Ryder, observer,
Sgt George Fraser MacKay, wireless operator,
Sgt William Arthur Jones, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Henry Craven, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2024LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Due to poor weather conditions over the target area, the crew was unable to locate Saint-Nazaire and returned to base. On the return leg, the airplane drifted off course to the west. In low visibility over high ground, it impacted the ground and crashed two miles south of Ilkley. All five crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Graham Bray, pilot,
P/O P. D. Smith, observer,
Sgt Harold Downs Reeder, wireless operator,
Sgt George Hugh Whyte, wireless operator,
P/O John Bryce Duncan, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming in the evening of March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Due to poor weather conditions over the target area, the crew was unable to locate Saint-Nazaire and returned to base. On the return leg, the airplane drifted off course. In low visibility over high ground, it impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area near Kirby Malzaerd, bursting into flames. The observer was killed and four other crew members were injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
P/O James Arnold Harrison, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Wallace Paul Emile Louthood, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Murton Colledge, observer,
F/Sgt Michael O'Donovan-Fuller, wireless operator,
Sgt Andrew McArthur Waddell, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2033LT on March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. While returning to base the following night, it came down in The Channel and sank. After spending 10 hours in their dinghy, all five crew members were rescued by a minesweeper.
Crew:
F/Sgt Grey,
F/O Whitworth,
P/O Leslie Lisle Orchard,
Sgt Shine,
Sgt Humphreys.