Whitley Z9305 78 Squadron

[Brian]

Thanks Paul

Cheers
Brian

[BC]

From the War Diary of Police Inspector Claude Rush, Felixstowe, Suffolk:

(480) Wednesday 28th January 1942 about 2100 - Whitley bomber, from Croft Royal Australian Air Force Station (sic), probably hit cable of barrage balloon of Harwich Harbour barrage. Flew over ships near Cork L.V. off Felixstowe, then fell into sea in flames there. Crew of 5 - pilot Australian, others R.A.F. personnel. 2 bodies recovered at 2130. One, Sergt Campbell, buried at sea owing to severe mutilation of body. The other, Sergt Dobson, R.A.F., brought to Felixstowe.

From 18 Group ROC Centre Logs:

28.1.1942 2122 Plane believed friendly shot down in sea M 8147 by ships. 1 survivor (sic) and 1 body found. L3 post reports plane believed to be a Blenheim.

28.1.1942 2237 L3 post reports balloon adrift M7743 after raid had passed over Harwich area.

12.3.1942 0952 Information required on Whitley shot down off Harwich on 28th January.

Hopes it helps !

BC

[Brian]

Thanks Bob et al

This is an extract from the piece on the BBC website that aroused my interest:


Pensioner Alan Brown has spent the past 20 years piecing together details of pilot David Gold's final flight in 1942.
The Leyland pilot's final mission, on January 29, 1942, was top secret; so much so that when he was seen flying back after dropping two agents over Belgium, he was shot down, with his crew of seven, by allied sea forces.
All eight on board died as the Whitley Armstrong Bomber sank slowly into the cold English channel, near to Boulogne, even though two crewmen made it back to Folkstone.
Local legend has always suggested an allied war ship cost David his life, but it has taken Alan nearly 20 years to get official confirmation. Alan, of Oakfield Drive, Leyland, said: "A lot of the information was buried away in confidential documents at the Ministry of Defence which I couldn't get access to.
"But in 1997, a lot of documents were released, including one detailing what happened on January 29, 1942.
"It said exactly what had happened."
The documents confirmed an English ship shot down the plane. Alan also discovered details of David's crew, which included men from Gateshead and Wales. He added: "From what I can gather, they were on a secret mission to Belgium, which was occupied by Nazi Germany at the time."

Something's not right!! Or were both Whitleys shot down by friendly fire?
Cheers
Brian