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Story related by Patricia Coleman, wife of Kenneth Potts.

Kenneth Potts volunteered for service in the Royal Air Force in 1941. After getting his wings he became a flying instructor in Gloucestershire before, in 1943, joining 51 Squadron, Bomber Command, based at Snaith in Yorkshire.

On one of their raids the crew Kenneth was with were on their last operation before finishing their tour of duty. Their target was Venlo Aerodrome in Holland. After successfully dropping their bombs on the runway the crew found they could not close the bomb doors as they had been damaged. The doors were hanging down causing a drag on the aircraft.

Worse was to come!

Three of the four engines failed whilst on the return journey. Because they were losing height there was no hope of returning to Snaith so they were making for Strubby airfield in Lincolnshire. The doors actually acted as a brake in the mud and helped to slow the aircraft. Kenneth managed to land the plane without loss of life.

Mrs. Patricia Coleman, who at that time was married to Kenneth Potts, has a letter from the crew member telling her that but for Kenneth鈥檚 skill there could have been a disastrous ending and he had the admiration of all the crew.

For this act of bravery Kenneth Potts was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The crew were wet and cold and were lucky enough to find a house nearby. Two ladies welcomed into their home this bedraggled group of men, gave them a hot drink and let them dry off by the fire.

Kenneth of course had to find a telephone to let the authorities know that all the crew were safe despite the crash landing. He managed to borrow a bicycle but the owner insisted that he had a large tot of whisky to help him on his way. It proved to be a wobbly ride! The local policeman came out to check on them and soon afterwards transport arrived to take them back to Strubby for the night before being flown back to Snaith.

Mrs. Coleman has been in touch with the granddaughter of the people who took the crew into their home and has a photograph showing a very remote field where the crash landing happened.

This crew of 51 Squadron had now finished their tour of duty but Kenneth wanted to continue flying so he joined 35 Squadron, the Pathfinder Force. On a raid on 6th January 1945 he was shot down over Germany and he and all the crew were killed.
Kenneth Potts DFC has no known grave but his name is on the memorial at Runnymede.

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