WHITLEY Z9382 - 612 SQ. - SOUTH BIGGINS, FOULA. 2/4/1943
This Whitley had on 2 April 1943 been on an anti-sub patrol from 612 Squadron at RAF Wick in the Highlands, during the flight the pilot began to experience violent vibrations making the aircraft very difficult to control, they were over the ocean and in a desperate situation as they had no alternative but to either ditch or crash, fortunately the tiny isle of Foula west of Shetland presented itself and a crash-landing was made above a farm at South Biggins, as the name suggests this was in the south of the isle, and despite a slight back injury to the pilot, all the crew escaped unscathed, but the aircraft had broken in two aft of the radio compartment.
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Above: Two pictures taken of the crashed Whitley by Eric Harrison the Navigator with the aircraft camera before they left the island on the 4th April. Photos: Eric Harrison.
The 6 crew stayed with locals on the Isle until being picked up by the Aith Lifeboat at taken to Scolloway, their aircraft was dismantled by 56 MU and removed by boat to the mainland, all the crew except 2/Pilot Bob Ordish survived the war.
Contact has been made with eye-witnesses also the Navigator and the crash site has been located by ARGOS members Dave Earl & Geoff Bland in May 2008.
Crew of Z9382.
Pilot: F/Sgt Thomas Perry.
Pilot: Sgt Robert Ordish.
Nav: Sgt Eric Harrison.
W/AG Sgt William Fletcher.
W/AG: Sgt Geoffrey Cooper.
A/G: Sgt Edward Holden.
Contact has been made with eye-witnesses also the Navigator and the crash site has been located by ARGOS members Dave Earl & Geoff Bland in May 2008.
Crew of Z9382.
Pilot: F/Sgt Thomas Perry.
Pilot: Sgt Robert Ordish.
Nav: Sgt Eric Harrison.
W/AG Sgt William Fletcher.
W/AG: Sgt Geoffrey Cooper.
A/G: Sgt Edward Holden.
Above: Geoff Bland and Eric Isbister looking for fragments at the Whitley crash site on Foula. Photo: Dave Earl.
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Above: Just a few small fragments of alloy and one alloy bolt were all that were found at the crash site,the salvage team having been very thorough. Fortunatly the bolt bore the part number beginning `SP` which confirmed it was a Whitley site. Photo: Dave Earl.
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