Driffield AFB

The aircraft departed RAF Driffield at 2010LT to attack a synthetic oil plant located in the region of Gelsenkirchen. While approaching the target, the bomber was hit by the German Flak. All five occupants abandoned the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in a field near Goch and was destroyed. All five occupants became PoW.
Crew (102nd Squadron):
F/S E. L. G. Hall,
P/O J. T. Glover,
Sgt D. L. Dick,
LAC J. McCutcheon,
AC2 A. Murray.

The aircraft departed RAF Driffield at 2005LT on a bombing mission over Hanover. At 2135LT, while flying at 9,000 feet some 60 miles off the Dutch coast, the Whitley was attacked by the pilot of a Me.110 and badly damaged. In turn, the enemy aircraft was claimed destroyed by AC1 Parkes. Despite a painful foot wound, F/L Raphael ditched the bomber and the crew clambered into the dinghy. Their plight was seen by F/L Crockett, who happened to be in the area at the time, and he was able to direct a Royal Navy destroyer to the scene. After four hours afloat, the crew were rescued and take into Yarmouth.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/L G. L. Raphael,
P/O R. P. Payne,
Sgt Prescott,
LAC Storey,
AC1 Parkes.
Source: W. R. Chorley.

The aircraft departed RAF Driffield at 2025LT on a bombing mission over Mönchengladbach. While approaching the target, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. A crewman survived and became PoW while all four other occupants were killed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O Thomas Hayward Parrott, pilot,
F/O D. Blew, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Todd Atchison, observer,
LAC Terence Poad, wireless operator,
AC2 Tudno Jones, wireless operator and air gunner.

The aircraft departed RAF Kinloss on a flight from RAF Kinloss to RAF Driffield. While cruising some 6 miles southeast of Huntly, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Foudland. Three crewmen were killed and five others were injured. Two survivors died from injuries sustained, one on May 6, the second on May 25, 1940.
Crew (102nd Squadron):
F/O Kenneth Neil Gray, pilot, †
Sgt John Hamilton Hopper, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick John Bass, observer, †
AC1 Alfred William Henry Hart, wireless operator, †
AC1 Harold Buttery, †
AC1 J. A. Hewitt,
AC2 George Main,
AC1 Fred Wallwork.

The crew departed RAF Driffield at 1935 on April 11 on a reconnaissance mission for enemy shipping in the Skagerak and Kattegat. A last w/t was heard at 0305LT then the aircraft disappeared into the sea. No trace was found.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O George Edgar Saddington, pilot,
P/O Christopher Rendel Hebeler,
Sgt John Raleigh Ibbotson,
Cpl Oscar Haire,
AC1 Peter William Simpson Chalmers.

Following a low level bombing practice exercise, the aircraft was returning to RAF Driffield. At the end of the landing run, the pilot braked but due to the wet grass runway, the aircraft skidded and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It went through the boundary fence, crossed a road and came to rest in a field. All five occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Kenneth Neil Gray, pilot,
Sgt John Hamilton Hopper, pilot,
Sgt Frederick John Bass, observer,
AC1 Alfred William Henry Hart, wireless operator,
AC2 George Main, air gunner.

The aircraft left RAF Driffield at 2305LT on March 27 on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. During the back trip to UK, the bomber strayed into the Dutch airspace and was shot down by the pilot of a Dutch fighter before crashing in flames in Pernis, southwest of Rotterdam. A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were rescued. It is possible the that Sgt Miller have fallen from the airplane just seconds prior to the final impact.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O T. J. Geach,
F/O W. P. Copinger,
Sgt J. E. Miller, †
LAC S. H. E. Caplin,
AC2 R. B. Barrie.

The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over Germany and left RAF Driffield at 2240LT on March 27. While flying over the region of Prüm, the aircraft was hit by Flak and crashed in an open field located in Gerolstein, some 18 km northeast of Prüm. A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were taken POW.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O J. B. J. Boardman,
P/O G. L. Norman, †
Sgt W. R. Taylor,
LAC J. Masters,
AC1 W. Cowle.

The aircraft departed RAF Driffield at 1850LT on 24 October and headed for the ports of Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven. At 2315LT, a w/t signal was intercepted, indicating a position 60 miles off the East coast of UK. SAR operation did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Philip Edwin William Walker, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Austin Bigger, pilot,
Sgt George Jonathan Burrell, observer,
AC1 Alexander Bernard Bogle MacDonald, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 James Alfred Topham, wireless operator and air gunner.

The airplane departed Villeneuve-les-Vertus at 1850LT on October 15 with Munich as target (leaflet dropping mission). En route, the aircraft went off course and was overflying Frankfurt at night when it was shot down by the German Flak. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in a field when the aircraft crashed in Geinsheim am Rhein, about 30 km southwest of Frankfurt. Four crew members became PoW and the captain was killed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O Roland Williams, pilot, †
LAC Reginald Enrath Fletcher,
Cpl A. R. Gunston,
Sgt James William Lambert,
F/O John Tilsley.