Halifax LW595 suffered engine fire, landed safely at East Moor airfield.
On the night 1st May 1944 the crew of this aircraft were tasked with bombing a railway yard at St.Ghislain. En route to the
target the aircraft suffered a fire in the port inner engine. The bombs were dumped and an early return made on three engines.
The aircraft landed safely but required an engine change and was out of service until 7th May 1944. The probably crew flying in the aircraft were..
Pilot - F/Sgt Howard J Menzies RCAF (later J/86541), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Clarke RAFVR (1300857), of Keighley, Yorkshire.
Navigator - P/O John (Jack) Gouinlock RCAF, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - P/O Donald E Rutherford RCAF, of Strathroy, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt W S Rowan RAFVR (1344656).
Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas F McClay RAFVR (1795998), of Waterside, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Air Gunner - Sgt Eric P Boutilier RCAF (later J/84414), of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Eric Boutilier was sadly killed on 23rd May 1944 when Halifax MZ605 crashed in France. He and the rest of his then
crew are buried at Le Mans West Cemetery. He had received his commission in the days between these two incidents or
just after his death.
On 28th May 1944 Howard Menzies, John Clarke and Thomas McClay were killed when Halifax LK811 failed to
return from Op's to Bourg-Leopald when the aircraft came down near Budel, Holland. F/Sgt Menzies is buried
in the Canadian Cemetery at Groesbeck but Sgt Clarke and Sgt McClay have no known grave and are commemerated on the
Runnymede Memorial. F/O Gouinlock and F/O Rutherford evaded capture. Sgt Rowan became a PoW. Jack Gouinlock
recorded an interview on his time in Europe following 28th May 1944 which is viewable on You-Tube.
Halifax LW595 was built to Contract ACFT/C4/C by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and delivered directly to 432 Squadron
at East Moor in February 1944. It suffered Cat.B/FA in damage by friendly fire already detailed on this website on 15th March 1944
and was taken to Y.A.R.D. for repair in works. The repair was completed and it was returned to 432 Squadron by 9th April 1944 and
suffered this damage on 1st May 1944. It transferred to 415 Squadron at East Moor (coded "6U-Q") in July
1944. It was recorded missing, Cat.E(m) damage recorded, on 29th July 1944 when it crashed at Stotel, South of Bremerhaven. Seven crew sadly being killed and one taken PoW.
It completed thirty four operational flights with 432 Squadron but was lost on its first with 415 Squadron.