Lancaster ED315 damaged by flak, returned to Breighton airfield.
On the night of 16th / 17th January 1943 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were undertaking Ops to bomb Berlin and left base at 16.56hrs, they bombed the target area and reported clear visibility. The aircraft sustained flak damage to the bomb doors but returned safely to Breighton and landed at 00.58hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Eric Frank Knowles Campling DFC MiD RAFVR (42049), of Clapham, London.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Norman Henry Simpson RAAF (401053), of St.Arnaud, Victoria, Australia.
Navigator - F/Sgt William Mervyn James Matchett RAAF (403396), of Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia.
Flight Engineer? - Sgt E Dickson RAF.
Wireless Operator? - Sgt Ian George Brodie RAAF (401739), of Ardmona, Victoria, Australia.
Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred William Clark RAFVR (1387144), of Abbey Wood, London.
Air Gunner - F/O James Anthony Patrick Drummond DFM RAF (45806), of Salisbury, Wiltshire.
He was later posted to 460 Squadron in mid-1942, he was then Mentioned in Despatches on 2nd June 1943 and As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the DSO for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 27th July 1943, the citation reads.. "Squadron Leader Campling is a first class pilot who has rendered fine service. He has completed very many sorties, including 4 attacks on Berlin. He has set a fine example of courage, pressing home his attacks with a determination which is deserving of high praise." He was later promted to S/Ldr (war subs) and served as CFI at No.1 Lancaster Finishing School. As Acting W/Co he sadly died on 8th April 1944 when Lancaster R5672 crashed near Caistor, Lincolnshire while on an airtest. He was twenty three years old and is buried in Sgt George Churchyard, Denbighshire.
He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th May 1941 and around the same time he was posted to 115 Squadron, he baled out of two Wellingtons in the Summer months. After a posting to 12 OTU he returned to operational flying with 460 Squadron but in May 1943 he was posted to 100 Squadron. On 3rd August 1943 he was flying in Lancaster ED688 on Ops to Hamburg. F/Lt Drummond's body was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was twenty three years old.
Lancaster ED315 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V.Roe & Co. Ltd. at Chadderton and was awaiting collection in November 1942. It was initially taken on charge by 44 Squadron at Waddington on 30th November 1942 but transferred to 460 Squadron at Breighton on 3rd December 1943. As a result of minor battle damage on both 4th January 1943 and 17th January 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage resulted and it was repaired on site each time. Neither incident is recorded on it's AM78 movement card. On 14th May 1943 it moved with 460 Squadron to Binbrook where it carried the squadron coding "AR-P". On 28th June 194 it crashed at Binbrook causing the undercarriage to collapsed. After this incident it was initially assessed as being repairable with Cat.B damage but this it was re-assessed and was deemed too badly damaged to be repaired. It was written off with Cat.E/FA damage and was struck off charge on 8th July 1943.
Eric Campling received a commission in the RAF on 18th November 1939 to the rank of P/O on probation, he was promoted to F/O a year later and to F/Lt a further year after in November 1941. He first flew a tour with 142 Squadron and was awarded an immediate DFC for his actions on 12th February 1942, Gazetted on 3rd March 1942, the recommendation for his DFC reads.. "On 12 February 1942, this officer was detailed as leader of a section of two aircraft to attack the German warships Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen. After crossing the coast the aircraft accompanying Flight Lieutenant Campling returned to base with a defective turret, but using cloud cover Flight Lieutenant Campling proceeded to the target area alone. He successfully delivered an attack on the Scharnhorst from a height of 700 feet, having dived from 1200 feet. During the attack severe damage from flak was sustained to the port wing, elevator trimming tabs and the fuselage near the tail plane, causing control temporarily to be lost and the aircraft dived towards the sea. At 300 feet, before control had been fully regained, the aircraft was attacked by two Me. 109s. The Rear Gunner was unable to retaliate due to damaged hydraulics and only by the greatest piloting skill was Flight Lieutenant Campling able to evade the fighters and keep the aircraft out of the sea. By flying low over the water the pilot prevented further interception and by first class airmanship brought the aircraft to its base where he affected a normal landing with his crew intact and uninjured. Flight Lieutenant Campling has always shown a magnificent offensive spirit and by his own knowledge, skill and zeal maintains a high morale in his own crew and is an inspiring influence to all crews in the Squadron. His conduct cited above is held in great esteem by me and by his fellow pilots."
James Drummond was the son of Major J H Drummond RAPC. He joined the RAF in 1935 and received the DFM for service with 218 Squadron flying in Fairey Battles, Gazetted on 21st June 1940 for service operating in France. This squadron took heavy casualties during early 1940. The citation for his award states that "on the 10th May 1940, this air gunner took part in a low bombing raid on an enemy column near DIPPACH, and in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire he added greatly to the success of the raid by the full use of his machine gun on enemy troops. On the 14th May, when taking part in another raid his aircraft was attacked by a heavy formation of Messerschmitt 109’s. With confidence and great courage Corporal Drummond engaged the enemy fighters and as a result of his accurate fire shot down one and inflicted damage on others. His coolness and accurate fire in the face of repeated attacks were to a very great extent responsible for the safe return of his aircraft."
On the night of 27th / 28th January 1943 P/O Matchett and Sgt Simpson were flying in Lancaster W4817 on Ops to Dusseldorf. All the crew were killed and were initially buried in Monchengladbach but are now buried in Rheinburg War Cemetery. Norman Simpson was twenty one years old. He was born on 10th September 1921 in Essendon, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne. William Matchett was twenty eight years old. He was born on 4th August 1914 in Grenfell, New South Wales and enlisted in Sydney.
F/Sgt Brodie died on 27th January 1943 when Lancaster W4817 failed to return from Ops to Dusseldorf. He was twenty seven years old and is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Clark died on 17th April 1943 when 460 Squadron Lancaster W4942 failed to return from Ops to Plzen, he was twenty years old and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.