Halifax NA583 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the 5th August 1944 a number of 432 and 415 Squadron aircraft were tasked
with attacking rocket launch sites at St.Leu D'Esserant. A number of these
aircraft including NA583 sustained minor flak damage. This aircraft returned safely to East Moor.
It is believed that the aircraft was fitted with a dorsal turret.
Pilot - F/O Lloyd W "Pat" Patten RCAF (J/25838).
FEng - Sgt Ron Watson,
Nav - F/O Peter Provias,
AB - Sgt Robert (Bob) Hill,
WOp/AG - Sgt Gordon Ford,
AG - Sgt Adam Kell RCAF, from the Interlake District of Manitoba, Canada.
AG - Sgt Edward (Ted) B Turner RCAF, of Morden, Manitoba, Canada
Mid Under Gunner - Sgt W Moulden
A fantastic composite photograph of the Patten crew, from left to right - Adam Kell, Ted Turner, Peter Provias,
Lloyd Patten, Ron Watson, Bob Hill, Gordon Ford.
"This captain of aircraft has displayed skill, courage and determination to a marked degree. His operational record,
which includes many missions to strongly defended targets in France and Germany, has set a fine example to other members
of the squadron. His qualities of courage, efficiency and tenacity have contributed much to the successes attained by his
squadron while his enthusiasm and fighting spirit have been highly commendable."
Lloyd Patten was born in 1919 in Benito, Manitoba. He enlisted in Winnipeg in February 1942 and had previously served in the
Winnipeg Rifles. He completed eighteen Halifax Ops with 415 Squadron from East Moor and was awarded a DFC for the whole service
with 415 Squadron. The recommendation for his DFC was dated 17th September 1944 and stated he had flown thirty Ops by
this date but it is believed that rest were with 415 Squadron when they were based at Bircham Newton, in Coastal Command,
flying Wellington's. He died on 12th October 2008, aged 88. The draft citation for this DFC reads..
Both Edward Turner and Adam Kell completed Tours but returned to Canada as sick.
DFM/DFC research credits to Hugh Halliday.
Halifax NA583 was built to contract ACFT/891 by Fairey Aviation Ltd at Stockport and delivered to 420 Squadron
at Tholthorpe on 16th July 1944. It was immediately transferred to 415 Squadron at East Moor and sustained two flak incidents in
August 1944 with Cat.A(c)/FB damage recorded following both. The repairs were made on site with the final repair complete by 28th August
1944. It was lost, as Cat.E(m), on 2nd November 1944 when it failed to
return from Dusseldorf. It was found to have crashed in the Rocherather Wald area near the Belgium/Germany
border. Sadly eight airmen on board were killed. NA583 commenced Ops with 415 Squadron on 28th July 1944
and was on it's nineth when the above flak incident occurred. It was lost on it's twenty nineth on 2nd
November 1944 when it was lost.