Wellington HE992 at East Moor airfield.
On 3rd July 1943 this aircraft was returing from a mine laying Op to Brest harbour when, on landing at East Moor at 02.45hrs, the
starboard main wheel tyre burst resulting in the undercarriage collapsing and the aircraft coming to rest on it's belly with
damage to the engines and propellers. Cat.B/FB damage was later recorded.
In a press report later the pilot stated it was a routine flight but they were coned by eight searchlights when they were flying at only 1,000 feet.
Flak guns opened up on them but the pilot avoided being hit and they returned to base and suffered this burst tyre.
Pilot - Sgt Harold A Floren RCAF, of Westbury, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Navigator - Sgt H Gamberg RCAF
Bomb Aimer - P/O John W Astbury RCAF (J/21524), of Portage la Praire, Manitoba, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt N Johnson RCAF
Air Gunner - Sgt Nuncie Leone RCAF (R/53024), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Harold Floren (pictured above) was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan on 25th February 1922, he enlisted in Saskatoon straight out of school at Regina on 25th August 1941. After receiving his Wings he went overseas in November 1942. Floren, Astbury and Leone arrived at 429 Squadron
from 22 OTU on 19th April 1943 and had flown ten operational flights with 429 Squadron before being selected
for the newly created Pathfinder Force. They were posted out on different dates in August 1943 to 405 Squadron.
They became reasonably well known as being part of the first crew to fly the first Canadian-built Lancaster KB700
"Ruhr Express" on Ops to Berlin in late-November 1943. At that date Floren was quoted as having flown seventeen
operational flights. KB700 was transferred to 419 Squadron later and crashed at Middleton St.George before the end of the War.
All three were killed flying Lancaster JA974 of 405 Squadron on 14th January 1944 on Ops to Brunswick.
All three are buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. Floren was twenty two years old, Astbury; twenty three and Leone; twenty five years old.
Sgt Gamburg arrived at 429 Squadron on 29th April 1943 from 22 OTU, he was also posted to 405 Squadron but on 30th August 1943. He was to return to 429 Squadron on 30th October 1943.
Sgt Johnson arrived from 22 OTU on the same date as Gamburg and was similar posted away to 405 Squadron on 30th August 1943
Wellington HE992 was built to contract B124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd at Chester and delivered to MU for acceptance in May 1943 and
issued to 429 Squadron at East Moor in late May 1943. It sustained flak damage at the end of June 1943 and was repaired on site
only for this incident to occiur days later. After it was repaired after this incident on 3rd July
1943 but was sent to works for repair this time. On completion of repair it was issued to 82 OTU at Ossington in late 1943 before being
transferred to 29 OTU on an as yet unspecified date in 1944. The unit disbanded on 27th May 1945 and the aircraft was flown into
MU storage where it remained until being struck off charge as scrap on 12th May 1947.