Halifax EB252 damaged in air, landed at Marston Moor airfield.

On the night of 8th / 9th October 1943 the crew of this 428 Squadron aircraft took off from Middleton St.George airfield at around 23.00hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Hannover. The crew bombed the target area at 01.37hrs but around the time over the target they collided in the air with another four engined bomber, the collision removed a two foot section of the starboard rudder but the pilot remained in control and they returned to the UK. On their return 428 Squadron aircraft were diverted to land at Marston Moor (probably because of poor weather further north) and this aircraft landed at 03.54hrs. Rather annoyingly the 428 Squadron ORB does not list any wireless operator being on board the aircraft on this night though one was almost certainly carried and he was probably Sgt Herbert Charles Dumbrill RAFVR (1386442).

Pilot - P/O William John Armour RAAF (414333).

Navigator - Sgt John Percy McMaster RCAF (R/151021).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Leonard Peter Coupe RAFVR (1458000).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Sidney Percival Page RAFVR (1675979).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Name unknown.

Air Gunner - F/Sgt James Joseph Moon RAAF (410908).

Air Gunner - F/Sgt Frank Cottier Clucas RAAF (416932).

Second Pilot - Sgt Harold Calvin Shepherd RCAF (R/149169).

The second pilot Harold Shepherd was flying with his own 428 Squadron crew on the night of 19th / 20th November 1943 in Halifax LK956 on Ops to Leverkusen when the aircraft was badly damaged by flak, after limping as far as they could all eventually abandoned the aircraft over Holland and all survived. He and three others became PoWs while three others evaded capture.
On the night of 25th / 26th November 1943 the commissioned John McMaster was flying in 428 Squadron Halifax LK969 on Ops to Frankfurt with a different crew when the aircraft was attacked twice by an enemy aircraft and was set on fire. The second attack also killed one member of the crew but he and the other five airmen baled out and became PoWs.
On 20th / 21st December 1943 Armour, Coupe, Page, Moon and Clucas (and Dumbrill) were flying the repaired Halifax EB252 on Ops to Frankfurt when the aircraft was badly damaged over Germany. All are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.

William Armour was born on 4th June 1915 at Mount Morgan, Queensland, Australia. He married in April 1938 and was living in Coorparoo, Queensland, working as a storeman when he enlisted into the RAAF on 13th September 1941 in Brisbane. After basic training in Australia he left to undertake aircrew training in Canada where he gained his pilot's wings on 25th September 1942. He then arrived in the UK in December 1942 and over the coming months trained at 14 (P)AFU, 24 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 428 Squadron on 19th July 1943. He received a commission on 6th September 1943 and was awarded a back-dated DFC for service with 428 Squadron, Gazetted on 8th May 1945, well after his death but back dated to 19th December 1943. The citation for his DFC reads.. "Pilot Officer Armour, as pilot and captain of aircraft, has completed numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty".

James Moon was born on 4th April 1918 at Inglewood, Victoria, Australia and was the son of Archibald James and Gladys Myrtle Moon. He was working as a farmer and living at Wodonga, Victoria when he enlisted for RAAF service on 27th March 1942 in Melbourne. While training in Australia he married and hish wife later lived at Underdale, Adelaide. After training he was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 4th February 1943 and on arrival in the UK he trained at 24 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 428 Squadron on 19th July 1943. He received a commission on 13th December 1943.

Frank Clucas was born on 24th July 1922 in Renmark, South Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Adelaide.

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