On the night of 15th / 16th September 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft took off from Snaith airfield at 20.30hrs for an operational flight to bomb Montlucon, France. This crew bombed the target area from 5,000 feet at 23.35hrs but sustained flak damage to the starboard engines but made a safe return to Snaith landing at 03.00hrs.
Pilot - P/O Arthur Caygill RAF (53196).
Navigator - Sgt Leslie Wolf RAFVR (1601173).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Kenneth Ralph Hurrey RAFVR (1319954).
Wireless Operator - Sgt John Milroy RAFVR (656706).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Raymond Elliott RAFVR (1333563).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Jack Coulthard RAAF (421573).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Lindsay George Meares RAAF (410286).
Arthur Caygill received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 11th September 1943 but the squadron records listed him as being in the rank of Warrant Officer at the time of this battle damage incident a week later. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th March 1944. The citation probably refers to the incident recorded above and reads.. "This officer is a skillful and courageous captain of aircraft, whose determined efforts throughout the many sorties in which he has taken part have set a fine example. On one occasion, in an attack on Hanover, his aircraft was badly damaged in a fight with an enemy aircraft. Although his aircraft became difficult to control, Pilot Officer Caygill flew it to base and effected a safe landing. His keenness and devotion to duty have been most commendable." He was later promoted to F/O on 11th March 1944 and F/Lt on 11th September 1945. He was known as "The Baron" to fellow 51 Squadron members.
Jack Coulthard was born in September 1921 in Durham, England but emigrated to Australia well before WW2. He enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney, New South Wales. On the night of 8th / 9th October 1943 he (and all of the above were flying in Halifax HR949 on Ops to Hannover when the aircraft was attacked by an enemy aircraft, the aircraft was raked by cannon fire and sustained serious damage across the whole aircraft. F/Sgt Coulthard sustained serious injuries and the crew jettisoned the bomb load and returned to base. He survived but must have been seriously injured. He died in May 2012.
Leslie Wolf, Raymond Elliott, Kenneth Hurrey were all awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, with all their awards being notified in the London Gazette on 6th June 1944.
Leslie Wolf received a commission on 14th October 1944 (186442) and rose to F/O six months later.
Kenneth Hurrey received a commission before his DFM came through, he was made P/O on probation on 20th March 1944 and rose to F/O six months later.
John Milroy was also awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, but slightly later, with it being Gazetted on 27th June 1944.He too had already received a commission on 20th March 1944 (173611) and rose to F/O six months later. By 9th June 1945 he was deemed medically unfit for RAF service so relinquished his commission.
Lindsay Meares was born in Malvern, Victoria, Australia on 12th October 1912 and enlisted for RAAF service in Melbourne. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, also Gazetted on 6th June 1944.
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