Halifax MZ654 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.

On 12th August 1944 a number of 415 Squadron aircraft took off in the mid-morning tasked with bombing ammunition dumps at Mont Richard, this aircraft sustained flak damage to both rudders but the pilot was able to return safely to East Moor.

MZ654 commenced Ops with 432 Sqdn, coded "QO-L", on 19th May 1944, having replaced LW583 which failed to return from Ops on 9th May. It completed 13 Ops with 432 Sqdn before transfer to 415 Sqdn and commenced Ops with them on 28th July 1944. This flak incident took place on it's 9th Op. It went on to complete thirty with the last being on 30th October 1944 before transfer to HCU.

Pilot - P/O J Britt

Navigator - F/Sgt J Pape

Bomb Aimer - F/O A Gray

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt P Blau

Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt D Barrett

Rear Gunner - F/Sgt W Bridle

Flight Engineer - Sgt C Ramsbottom

Mid Under Gunner - Sgt C Roy

These names are taken from Brian Shields "Eastmoor Experience" book which contains many errors with regard aircrew initials. This crew is being researched to check whether they are correct and I would welcome contact from anyone able to confirm this.
P/O Britt and his crew commenced Ops with 415 Squadron on 9th August 1944 and this incident took place on the pilots third operational flight. He went on to complete twenty five with 415 Sqdn with the last being on 24th December 1944. The crew sustained at least two further damages when on Ops. On 21.22nd November 1944 they were in Halifax MZ586 which was attacked by an enemy aircraft and damaged on Ops, they landed at Wombleton on return. On 27/28th November 1944 they were hit by flak in the port fuselage and landed at Attlebridge on their return because of poor weather in Yorkshire.
Halifax MZ654 was built to contract ACFT/2553 by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and was awaiting collection on 8th May 1944. It was delivered to 432 Squadron at East Moor a few days later but was transferred to 415 Squadron also at East Moor on 15th July 1944. It sustained Cat.A/FB damage in the flak incident detailed above and was repaired on site with repairs complete by 14th August 1944 when it was next used on Ops. It was transferred to 1666 HCU at Wombleton during the first week of November 1944 and then on to 1664 HCU at Dishforth on an unspecified date but it's life as a training aircraft was short, being struck off charge on 4th March 1945.