Whitley Z9305 78 Squadron

[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