Wellington MS487 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th March 1943 the crew of this 429 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Essen when it was slightly damaged by flak over the target, the crew brought the aircraft safely back to the UK and landed at base of East Moor at 00.01hrs.
Pilot - P/O George Henri de Bussac RCAF (J/17554), of Lydden, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Navigator - F/O Malcolm Burgess Spence RCAF (J/17487), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - F/O William Arthur Follows RCAF (J/12302), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Demetrius Coe RCAF (R/109811), of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt David Edwin Palmatier RCAF (R/116471), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
George de Bussac was the son of Charles and Marie de Bussac of Lydden, Saskatchewan, Canada. His parents were both born in France. He enlisted into the RCAF in July 1941 and after training received his Wings at Brandon in April 1942. He had two brothers who served in the RCAF.
Wellington MS487 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate and was awaiting collection in March 1943. The aircraft was immediately taken on charge by 429 Squadron at East Moor on 9th March 1943. As a result of minor flak damage sustained on it's first operational flight, on the night of 12th / 13th March 1943, Cat.A/FB damage would have been the assessment though nothing is recorded on it's AM Form 78. It would have been repaired on site. On 27th March 1943 it failed to return from an operational flight to bomb Duisburg, crashing in Holland. Three of it's crew were killed, one became a PoW while one other evaded capture. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the aircraft's paperwork.
All of the above were killed on 22nd June 1943 when Wellington HZ517 failed to return from Ops to Krefeld. The aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over Holland with the loss of the whole crew and all are buried in Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Holland. 429 Squadron lost four aircraft on this night with 17 aircrew being killed.