Halifax NP707 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
Halifax NP707 carried one of the most famous RCAF nose art paintings
- "Willie the Wolf". It's nose art panels were saved from the scrap man and
are in storage in Canada, this nose art is the largest surviving artwork.
The aircraft was flown by this crew on twenty four of it's sixty seven operational flights.
On the evening of 12th September 1944 crews were tasked with Ops
to Wanna Eickel and a number were hit by flak over the target. All
were able to return home to East Moor, this aircraft was hit in both
wings and the starboard inner nacelle. The landing time for this
aircraft is not known and it may have been in the early hours of
the 13th September 1944.
Pilot - P/O Aurele L Potter RCAF (J/87033), of St.John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt P Searle
Navigator - F/O Owen Rutherford
Bomb Aimer - F/O Joseph Mjolsness RCAF
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O G Reid
Air Gunner - Sgt L Taylor
Air Gunner - Sgt Wilfred Tuer RCAF
"At 11.55hrs on the 24th December 1944, the above mentioned took off on a daylight sortie. Shortly after leaving Base, trouble was experienced with the port inner engine. The engine cut out altogether over the Channel, but was successfully feathered. The pilot pressed on,
but due to adverse winds, it was impossible to keep up with the stream. Height could not be maintained, and the aircraft dropped to 11,000
feet. The pilot approached to within fifteen miles of the target (Dusseldorf) but the whole stream had by now passed over. Believing it was
suicide to attack Dusseldorf, Flying Officer Potter veered to port, identified a town as Krefeld and bombed the Marshaling yards and railway
lines. For his display of sustained courage and unusual initiative, his coolness and devotion to duty resulting in the success of this operational flight, Flying Officer Potter is most strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Non-Immediate)."
Of the 415 Squadron and 432 Squadron aircraft that took part in this raid some seventeen were damaged by flak. All 415 Squadron aircraft landed at
Foulsham, all 432 Squadron aircraft landed at Colishall apart from Halifax NP802 which landed at Linton on Ouse and collided with another aircraft.
Aurele Potter was born in 1924 in Saint John, New Brunswick and was living and working there as a bank clerk when he enlisted,
he was formerly a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery. He enlisted in Moncton on 29th May 1942 and received his commission in June 1944.
He was recommended for the DFC for service with 432 Squadron on 16th February 1945 when he had flown thirty three operational flights betweeb
7th August 1944 to 14th February 1945. The DFC was granted and notification was printed in the London Gazette on 25th May 1945. Although there was
no proper citation the recommendation draws on specific incident in December 1944 in Halifax NP774, it reads..
Joe Mjolsness was born in Coronation, Alberta in 1921, he died on 21st June 2002