CAPTAIN: SMITH
LANCASTER Y-YORK - JB531
Crew baled out, aircraft destroyed
For Caterpillar Club membership for the bale-out, please scroll down.
CREW (as at Black Thursday, 16/17th Decmber 1943)
Pilot: P/O F, known as Smithy, Smith
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Flight Engineer: Sgt Maurice Durn
Baled out 17-Dec-43
Killed 23-Jun-44 mid-air collision with Van Raalte crew,
buried in Marsden (St Bartholomew) Churchyard
Navigator: P/O John, known as Joe Arthurson
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Bomb Aimer: F/S Jimmy Wilson
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
W/Op: Sgt Gordon Townend
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Mid-Upper Gunner: Sgt Harold, known as Harry, Stewart
Baled out 17-Dec-43,
Killed 25.4.44 with F/L Waugh's crew,
buried in Durnbach War Cemetery
Rear Gunner: Sgt Cliff Bradshaw
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
LANCASTER Y-YORK - JB531
Crew baled out, aircraft destroyed
For Caterpillar Club membership for the bale-out, please scroll down.
CREW (as at Black Thursday, 16/17th Decmber 1943)
Pilot: P/O F, known as Smithy, Smith
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Flight Engineer: Sgt Maurice Durn
Baled out 17-Dec-43
Killed 23-Jun-44 mid-air collision with Van Raalte crew,
buried in Marsden (St Bartholomew) Churchyard
Navigator: P/O John, known as Joe Arthurson
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Bomb Aimer: F/S Jimmy Wilson
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
W/Op: Sgt Gordon Townend
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
Mid-Upper Gunner: Sgt Harold, known as Harry, Stewart
Baled out 17-Dec-43,
Killed 25.4.44 with F/L Waugh's crew,
buried in Durnbach War Cemetery
Rear Gunner: Sgt Cliff Bradshaw
Baled out 17-Dec-43, survived the war
DETAILS
Y-York was one of only two 97 Squadron planes to be ditched that night, the other being S-Sugar piloted by Mooney. There is an excellent short memoir by John Arthurson of the Y-York crew, which gives much detail of this night. Here is a short extract from "Fire By Night" with a quotation from the memoir.
Y-York was one of only two 97 Squadron planes to be ditched that night, the other being S-Sugar piloted by Mooney. There is an excellent short memoir by John Arthurson of the Y-York crew, which gives much detail of this night. Here is a short extract from "Fire By Night" with a quotation from the memoir.
At last Maurice Durn said that there was only enough petrol left for fifteen minutes more flying. John Arthurson was the first one to voice the obvious suggestion, "Let's get up and bale out". Hearing him on the intercom, Cliff, the rear gunner, and Gordon, the wireless-operator, strongly agreed.
"The skipper said he was loath to take this decision just then, but after a further brief time of fruitless searching agreed. The pilot asked to what height he should climb and [I] said, 'Make it seven thousand feet so that if any chute doesn't open its owner won't know much about it'. The pilot quickly climbed the plane to this height heading east towards the North Sea and after telling which exit each crew member was to use gave the order to abandon the aircraft. The bomb-aimer, navigator and flight-engineer left by the front hatch and the wireless-operator, rear gunner and mid-upper gunner by the rear door. With the automatic pilot in control, the pilot checked that all had gone, returned to the front and left by the front hatch."
[After John Arthurson landed safely he began walking] ..
At last he came to some huts on the edge of Graveley's airfield. Going into one of the huts, he woke someone up who, startled and appalled, exclaimed "Where did you come from?" and John Arthurson pointed at the sky.
At last he came to some huts on the edge of Graveley's airfield. Going into one of the huts, he woke someone up who, startled and appalled, exclaimed "Where did you come from?" and John Arthurson pointed at the sky.
Eventually a WAAF driver arrived with a van to take him to SSQ, where he found his flight engineer, Maurice Durn. Both of them were very shaken by what had happened but otherwise perfectly okay. The MO came in, asked if they were hurt, and checked them over. Then he made them go to bed for twenty-four hours, as was standard policy for an unscheduled baling out.
THE CATERPILLAR CLUB
If you baled out, you were entitled to become a member of the Caterpillar Club, and received the small pin of a caterpillar with ruby eyes to show that your life had been saved by a parachute made of silk. Below (enlarged) are the pin and membership card of John Arthurson.
THE CATERPILLAR CLUB
If you baled out, you were entitled to become a member of the Caterpillar Club, and received the small pin of a caterpillar with ruby eyes to show that your life had been saved by a parachute made of silk. Below (enlarged) are the pin and membership card of John Arthurson.
CREW: F Smith, Maurice Durn, John Arthurson, Jimmy Wilson , Gordon Townend, Harold Stewart, Cliff Bradshaw, 97 Squadron, 16/17 December 1943
Gordon Townend
"Smithy"
Joe Arthurson
Harry Stewart
Cliff Bradshaw
Maurice Durn
Jimmy Wilson
Aircrew on Berlin op - December 16/17 1943