Whitley Z9145 at Givendale, Ripon.
On the night of 22nd/23rd October 1941 a number of aircraft from 51 Squadron were
tasked with bombing Mannheim and they left Dishforth around 18.00hrs. Whitley
Z9145 took off at 18.21hrs but did not bomb the target area and returned to
Yorkshire. On their return to the Dishforth area the aircraft overshot on landing but
remained in the air, it did not climb away and struck a cable stretched across the
River Ure just east of Ripon at Givendale at 23.55hrs. The aircraft crashed into a
field next to the river and all five of the crew sustained injuries, two died at the scene
and another died in hospital. One of the crew was later awarded a DFM and the
citation makes reference to an incident in October 1941, it could refer to the same
flight as this.
The crash site is on land belonging to the Newby Estate, in 2009 plans were put into
motion for an extension of a gravel pit which may by now have destroyed the crash
site. In 2008 I was contacted by members of the nearby sailing club, the White Rose
Sailing Association (WRSA) and I thank them for their contact to add these extra
details. I also thank Mr Neil Smith of the superb 51 Squadron "51 History Team"
website for supplying me with the ORB entry for this incident.
Pilot - Sgt John Lyon Perrin RAFVR (961016), aged ? Buried Dishforth Cemetery,
Yorkshire.
Second Pilot - P/O Anthony Baerlein RAFVR (68803), aged 29. Buried Dishforth
Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Observer - Sgt Farr. Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harry Freeman Tice RCAF (R/64242), aged ?
Of Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Ernest Sayer RAFVR (931753), aged
20, of Kingsbury. Died in hospital. Buried Kingsbury Churchyard, Middlesex.
Anthony Baerlein was born in 1912, he was the son of Edgar Baerlein who was the
thirteen times winner of the Amateur Tennis Championship. Anthony attended Eton
school and was a reasonable cricketer. After leaving school he worked in film
production for a while before becoming a Daily Express journalist and novelist. His
Sci-Fi novel "Daze, The Magician" was published in 1936. He had married a well
known artist, actress and dancer of the time, one Olga Edwardes (later Davenport)
who he had met backstage during a performance at Regents Park Open Air Theatre,
they married in 1940. He joined the RAF in 1940 and was commissioned on 17th
June 1941 to the rank of P/O. After his death his wife would re-marry, her second
husband being Nicholas Davenport who was a city economist and their country
home was Hinton Manor where they held court to the most influential artists,
economists, philosophers, and politicians of the day.
The Baerlein family were originally from Bavaria and had come to the England in
1830s. Anthony Baerlein had an older brother Richard and he was also a pilot in the
RAF who flew in Coastal Command and was later one of Churchill's pilots. After the
War his brother was a well known horse racing journalist.
John Perrin's gravestone in Dishforth Cemetery.
Harry Tice was born in Dunnville, Ontario on 8th April 1921 but was living in the
Hamilton area of Ontario when he enlisted on 7th June 1940 and was a student at
the time. After completing his training he was posted to 51 Squadron. While in the
rank of F/Sgt he was awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on
27th October 1942 the citation reads..
"F/Sgt Tice has taken part in numerous operational attacks, including many of the
most defended targets. One night in October 1941 his aircraft became lost when
compelled by technical failure to turn back. In most difficult conditions this airman
effected repairs which enabled the aircraft to reach base."
Further details located regarding his DFM by historian Mr Hugh Halliday stated that
he had flown 28 operational flights at the time and that "he is a sound wireless
operator of exceptional keenness and energy, and has set an example to others
during the whole of his tour of operations."
By the time the notification that his DFM had come through he was already a PoW
as on 30th September 1942 he was flying in 258 Squadron Whitley BD258 on route
to the Middle East, the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over water. He and
two others were taken PoW while two further members of the crew were never
found. He was liberated in April 1945.
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york41/z9145.html