On 4th January 1943 this Halifax was approaching East Moor airfield with the intention of landing as part of the crews' training excerise. It had taken off from Pocklington two hours twenty minutes previously. Whilst flying at 500 feet the port inner engine failed (due to a fracturing of a bolt in the port outer propeller). The pilot was not aware of which engine was at fault at the time so feathered the port inner engine first, with the intension of restarting it if the port outer needed to be stopped. At the height they were flying he did not have enough time to restart it, height was lost so he made the decision to force-land, wheels up, near Alcar Farm, Huby at 14.10hrs. It was later inspected and written off due to the damage it had sustained. After investigation it was considered that the pilot had made the right choice in making a force landing when he did. He was a relatively experienced pilot on the Halifax, with 200 hours to his name on the type.
Pilot - WO2 John F W Towse RCAF (R72402/J17133), of Oakville, Toronto, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt William A Gardiner RCAF (J17445), of Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia.
? - F/Sgt E Lee.
? - Sgt K H Kirkpatrick.
? - Sgt A T Raine.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert T Tuck RAAF (411060), of Coogee, New South Wales, Australia.
? - Sgt D W Muggleston.
P/O John Towse was awarded the DFC, Gazetted 15th June 1943 whilst serving with 102 Squadron. He was born in 1917 in Toronto and lived in "Orillia or Oakville" before enlisting in Toronto on 24th September 1940. He was invested with his DFC by King George VI on 21st March 1944. He survived the War and later returned home where he died in Ottawa on 20th October 1988. His DFC citation reads..
"Warrant Officer Towse has a long operational record of attacks against a wide variety of targets and has been conspicuous for sustained courage, determination and endurance. He has been successful in attaining the primary objective on most occasions. A very capable and reliable captain of aircrew, this airman has earned the confidence of his crew by whom he has been a source of inspiration."
F/Lt William Gardiner was awarded the DFC, Gazetted 17th July 1945 for his high number of operational fights flown during the War. He was born in 1919 in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia and lived there and worked as a miner and was a former member of the Royal Canadian Artillery when he enlisted in Halifax on 6th January 1941. He was commissioned in 1943. There was no citation for his DFC as such but when he was recommended for the DFC on 19th March 1945 when he had flown forty two operational flights (281 hours, 25 minutes). His first tour dates from 11th August 1942 with 102 Squadron (Ops to Le Havre) to 13th May 1943, this included three flights to Turin, Italy (on 18th and 20th November 1942 and 11th December 1942). His second Tour began on 27th December 1944 with 427 Squadron (Ops to St.Vith). The recommendation reads..
"This Bomb Aimer has completed forty-two operational bombing attacks against the enemy, fifteen of these on his second tour. On all his sorties Flight Lieutenant Gardiner has proved himself to be an outstanding Bomb Aimer, bringing back photographs of an excellent calibre. He possesses coolness and displays exceptional fearlessness in the face of danger, and by his courage, skill and determination in action has been an inspiration to his crew. At all times Flight Lieutenant Gardiner has been an example of cheerful courage, unselfishness and sacrifice and in view of his splendid record I most highly recommend that he be awarded a non-immediate Distinguished Flying Cross."
Albert Tuck was born on 30th October 1915 in Paddington, New South Wales and he enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney on 31st March 1941. After arriving in the UK he trained at 14 OTU begining on 17th March 1942 and was posted to 102 Squadron on 18th July 1942. He was later posted to 35 Squadron PFF on 19th March 1943 and received his commission to P/O on 25th March 1943 rising to F/O on 13th September 1943.
On 24th July 1943 he was on board Halifax HR803 which had just taken off for Ops to Hamburg from Graveley airfield when it crashed near the village of Great Paxton after loosing power in two of it's four engines. No injuries were reported.
On 28th September 1943 he flying as Mid Upper Gunner in Halifax HR907 on Ops to Hanover when the aircraft was attacked and damaged by a night-fighter after bombing the target. Albert Tuck was seriously injured in the left hand side of his body and in the left leg by cannon fire from the enemy aircraft and was unable to leave his turret. It was also likely that the rear gunner had also been killed instantly as a result of the attack. The aircraft also suffered damage to three engines and to the throttle control quadrant in the cockpit which prevented the pilot from being able to control any of the engines and it became obvious the crew would have to bale out when one of the engines caught fire. The pilot then ordered other members of the crew to try and free Albert Tuck but they were unable to. With the aircraft loosing height he then ordered everyone on the aircraft to bale out which those who were not trapped managed did sucessfully. Unfortunately the aircraft crashed onto a farmhouse at Schroettinghausen and exploded. Albert Tuck was still in the aircraft at the time of the crash, both his and the remains of the rear gunner were recovered and initially buried locally but later re-interred in Hannover War Cemetery. Four of the five crew were taken prisoner of war, however their pilot, P/O Nicholas J Matich DFM RNZAF (414658) managed to evade capture.
The events surrounding this incident are recorded in documents held in the Australian National Archives, one of the crew who gave statements regarding Albert Tuck being stuck in the turret changed his story on three occasions. For some reason he opted to inform the pilot that Tuck had freed himself and had left the aircraft via rear escape hatch, which was clearly a lie. He informed other members of the crew that he was unable to get back to his turret and on a further statement the (probable) true events of attempting to free him but had finally given up on the orders of his pilot to save their lives.
Albert Tuck was twenty seven years old and is now buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. He was recommended for the DFC prior to his death but the notification did not appear in the London Gazette until after his death on 19th October 1943, the citation for his DFC reads..
"F/O Tuck has given evidence of his sound knowledge of his duties as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in many successful sorties. Many of these have been attacks on strongly fortified objectives in enemy territory. This officer’s coolness and fearlessness have been the source of great confidence to his crew."
His pilot, Nicholas Matich, evaded capture and in 1944 returned to 35 Squadron, he was awarded the DSO for service with them in 1944. He survived the War and returned home to his native New Zealand.
Nothing further is known of the other airmen named at the top of this page.
Halifax W7910 was built to contract B73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd at Radlett and was delivered directly to 102 Squadron at Pocklington in October 1942, it was written off following this incident near Huby on 4th January 1943 with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded.