Accident Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B Mk IV N1383,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 226048
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Thursday 25 April 1940
Time:night
Type:Silhouette image of generic whtl model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B Mk IV
Owner/operator:102 Sqn RAF
Registration: N1383
MSN: AWA.1547
Fatalities:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Store Vildmose, near Aalborg, Nordjylland -   Denmark
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Driffield, East Yorkshire
Destination airport:RAF Driffield, East Yorkshire
Narrative:
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.IV N1383 (DY-H) of 102 Squadron RAF: Lost on combat operations 25 April 1940. Took off from RAF Driffield, East Yorkshire at 22:48. Whitley N1383 failed to return from a flight to attack Aalborg Aerodrome, Aalborg, Denmark, 25 April 1940. It was shot down and crashed at Store Vildmose, near Aalborg, Nordjylland. While approaching the target by night, the aircraft was shot down by Flak. One crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion and was totally wrecked. All four other occupants were killed.

Crew of Whitley N1383:
Aircraftman 2nd Class Cyril Cecil Whitley (Wireless Op, Service Number 632190)
Sergeant Normsn Haithwaite (Wireless Op/Air Gunner, Service Number 524167, aged 22)
Flying Officer Owen Gerard Horrigan (Pilot, Service Number 39525, aged 26)
Sergeant J F Hayes (Observer, Service Number 580893)
Sergeant V R Barr: survived, captured, became prisoner of war (POW)

All four fatalities were buried at Vadum Cemetery, Denmark. Store Vildmose is bogland located in northern Jutland, Vendsyssel, about 20 km north-west of Aalborg. It is the remnant of an extensive raised peat bog, in large part drained by constructed canals in the early 20th century at approximate Coordinates: 57°13′26″N 9°46′55″E.

Sources:

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/173: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141974
3. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-armstrong-whitworth-aw38-whitley-v-vadum-4-killed
4. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york39/n1383.html
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2271623/whitley,-cyril-cecil/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2271603/haithwaite,-norman/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2271607/horrigan,-owen-gerard/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2271606/hayes,-john-francis/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Store_Vildmose

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
10-Jun-2019 22:57 Dr. John Smith Added
10-Jun-2019 23:00 Dr. John Smith Updated [Source, Narrative]
11-Jun-2019 05:48 stehlik49 Updated [Operator]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org