Halifax MZ947 hit by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.

On the night of 12th/13th October 1944 this aircraft was on Ops when it sustained minor flak damage. The pilot was able to make a return to Yorkshire and landed safely at East Moor. Damage was sustained in both wings and the starboard fuselage. The aircraft was repaired though the damage was fairly severe and it never resumed ops with the Unit. The probable crew involved, though their initials may be incorrect were..

Pilot - F/O J Britt

Flight Engineer - Sgt C Ramsbottom

Navigator - F/Sgt L Pape

Bomb Aimer - P/O Ronald Blau RAFVR (185499)

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - F/O J Gray

Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt D Barrett

Rear Gunner - F/Sgt W Bridle

On 3rd September 1944 this crew were flying on Ops to bomb the Luftwaffe airfield at Volkel when their aircraft was hit by flak and the bomb doors were damaged. Because of poor weather over Yorkshire they were diverted to land at Sheppard's Grove.

On 21st/22nd November 1944 they were flying Halifax MZ586 on Ops to bomb the oil refinery at Castrop-Rauxel. The aircraft was attacked by a Me109 and returned fire. The Me109 was seen to be hit and dive steeply and it was later claimed as probably destroyed. On their return to Yorkshire F/O Britt landed at Wombleton but the port outer engine caught fire.

Ronald Blau received his commission on 11th September 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 11th March 1945. He remained in the RAFVR post-War and rose to F/Lt on 11th March 1948. He relinquished his commission on appointment to the RAF on 7th May 1951 and having dropped a rank rose again to F/Lt on 26th April 1953. He retired on 28th November 1961.
MZ947 was built to contract ACFT/637 by Rootes Securities Ltd at Speke and delivered to 415 Squadron at East Moor on 29th August 1944. MZ947 commenced Ops with 415 Squadron on 9th September, replacing MZ956, "6U-C". It sustained minor flak damage on it's fifth Op in September 1944 sustaining Cat.A/FB damage. It was repaired on site with repairs completed by 15th September 1944. It again sustained flak damage, Cat.B/FB, on 12th October 1944 (detailed above) on its fifteenth but the repair was probably more serious and it ended its operational career and was replaced in time by MZ882. It was taken into Works and repaired at the Y.A.R.D. workshops at Clifton. It was then issued to 1665 HCU at Saltby in April 1945 and moved with the unit to Marston Moor on 1st August 1945. It later passed into MU storage at Clifton in the same month and struck off charge and scrapped on 20th September 1945.