Halifax W1221 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.

On the night of 2nd/3rd October 1942 this aircraft on a raid to bomb Krefeld when it was hit by flak in the starboard outer engine just before bombing after it had overshot the aiming point and strayed into a strongly defended area. The bomb load was released but two hung-up in the aircraft and a return to East Moor was safely made. Upon landing, Cat.A(c)/FA damage was declared and it was repaired but the damaged engine was written off and replaced (Cat.E damage recorded).

Pilot - Sgt Sydney Henry John White RAFVR (1259712), of Greenwich, London.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Nicholas Pringle RAFVR (1211131).

Navigator - Kenneth Charles Hammond RAFVR (1380337), of Brighton, Sussex.

Bomb Aimer - P/O Ronald George Woods RAFVR (120667), of Bedford.

Wireless Operator - Sgt Arthur Thornton Smith RCAF (R/78011), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Thomas Leslie Gray RAFVR (1416025), of Holloway, London.

Rear Gunner - Sgt Henry Berryman Moorshead RAFVR (1339757), of Ford, Plymouth, Devon.

Sadly three months later P/O White, P/O Hammond (28), P/O Woods (20), Sgt Gray (21), Sgt Pringle and Sgt Moorshead (24) failed to return from Ops to Lorient on 29th January 1943, their aircraft, Halifax DT681, crashed in France. White has no known grave. The others are buried at Plougasnou Communal Cemetery, France.

Sydney White was born in Greenwich in 1916, he had received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 2nd January 1943.

Kenneth Hammond had received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 31st December 1942.

Ronald Woods had received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 17th May 1942, he rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 17th November 1942

Nicholas Pringle was possibly born in Chester le Street, Durham in 1921, nothing more is known about him.

Arthur Smith was born in Toronto in 1922 and enlisted there in October 1940. He began his first Tour with 158 Squadron on 25th June 1942 and completed it on 12th March 1943. After a period of non-operational flying he was posted to 433 Squadron and began his second Tour on 5th August 1944 and when he was recommended for a DFC on 6th November 1944 he was twenty flights into his second Tour. The DFC notification was printed in the London Gazette on 20th February 1945 and by this time he had flown further operational flights, the citation reads..

"This Warrant Officer has now completed his tour of operations comprising of thirty and one half trips over enemy territory and involving a wide variety of well defended targets in Germany and France."

The recommendation made by his commanding officer added further detail, it reads.."Throughout his tour Warrant Officer Smith has displayed outstanding fortitude and skill, and his splendid example of cheerful courage, co-operation and devotion to duty has been an inspiration not only to his fellow crewmen, but to the squadron in general. This Warrant Officer has flown with many crew throughout his tour and I consider his fine offensive spirit and splendid record of achievement fully merits the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."

After the War he returned hom to Toronto where he died in February 1995.

Halifax W1221 was built to contract B982938/39 by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and delivered directly to 158 Squadron at East Moor during the last week of July 1942. It suffered damage on Ops to Bochum on 6th August 1942 and was repaired following damage to both inner engines. The repair took some time to complete on site but the aircraft was returned to service by 2nd October 1942 but on it's first Op (to Krefeld) after repair, now coded "NP-B", it suffered the flak damage to the starboard outer engine and wing (as listed above). It was repaired in works at YARD, Clifton and was then issued to 1654 HCU at Wigsley in early 1943. This was clearly an error as 1654 HCU were a Lancaster unit and may have only been a paper transfer as the aircraft then appeared on charge with 1668 HCU at Balderton on 15th August 1943 and was transferred to 1656 HCU at Lindholme on an as yet unspecified date in 1944 where it completed it life before being struck off charge as a time expired airframe on 1st September 1944.
Hugh Halliday's thorough RCAF awards research has been used in compiling Arthur Smith's biography.