Lancaster W4331 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 16.55hrs, they bombed the target at 20.58hrs. The aircraft landed at base at 01.25hrs and three flak holes were found in the tail of the aircraft. The aircraft was soon repaired and slightly damaged on Ops on 2nd February 1943.
Pilot - Sgt Alexander William Wales RAF (10991), of Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Ronald William Lawton RAAF (406599), of Boulder City, Western Australia
Navigator - Sgt Royds Molyneux Canvin RAAF (411441), of Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John William Moore RAAF (401711), of Casterton, Victoria, Australia.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Edward Geoffrey Sutton RAFVR (994635).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Sanders RAAF (407933), of Virginia, South Australia.
Air Gunner? - Sgt Charles Thomas Crook RAAF (408800).
Alexander Wales was born on 6th October 1921 in Melbourne, he enlisted there and after training was posted to 460 Squadron. He completed his first Tour with 460 Squadron and was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 20th April 1943 and presented at Buckingham Palace on 30th November 1943. The citation for his DFM reads.."Sgt Wales has invariably pressed home his attacks with the utmost determination. He has displayed high qualities of leadership and his enthusiasm for operational duties has been a fine example to other members of his crew." He was later awarded the DFC for flying a second Tour with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 and presented in Melbourne in May 1945. Alex Wales took a job being a civilian pilot postwar and flew with Cathay Pacific Airlines.
Royds Canvin was born on 3rd February 1913 in Neutral Bay, New South Wales, he enlisted in Sydney. He completed a Tour with 460 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for this service, Gazetted on 13th July 1943 and awarded at Buckingham Palace on 15th February 1944. The citation for his DFC reads.."During his tour of operational duty this officer has completed three raids on Berlin and a number of sorties to the heavily defended areas of the Ruhr and Rhineland." He baled out of an unidentified aircraft on 16th November 1943 near Lincoln but further details are unknown.
John Moore was born on 14th February 1913 in Glasgow, Scotland but was living in or around Melbourne when he enlisted. He was a secondary school teacher prior to enlisting and specialised in agricultural science, physics and chemistry. After completing his first Tour with 460 Squadron he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 14th May 1943 and presented on 16th November 1943 at Buckingham Palace. The citation for his DFM reads.."F/Sgt Moore, a wireless operator of very high calibre, has completed 30 operational sorties against targets in Germany, Italy and Occupied France, including Lorient, St.Nazaire, Berlin and Essen." He later saw service in Malta, the Middle East and North Africa rising to the rank of flight lieutenant. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 but presented at Government House in May 1945.
Alexander Sanders was born on 23rd January 1911 in North Adelaide, South Australia and enlisted in Adelaide. He was awarded the DFM for completing a first Tour with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th June 1943 and presented at Buckingham Palace on 14th March 1944. The brief citation for his DFM reads.. F/Sgt Sanders has participated in a large number of operational sorties over Germany, Italy and occupied France." He later flew a second Tour with 460 Squadron and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 but presented to him at Government House, Adelaide on 14th December 1944. No citation has been located.
On 10th September 1942 Sgt Lawton was on board Wellington R1695 on Ops to Dusseldorf ditched off Norfolk after suffering engine failure out-bound, he was rescued and taken to hospital but some of the other members of his crew died. Ronald Lawton was born on 18th April 1911 in Boulder City, Western Australia and enlisted in Perth. He was later commissioned and was awarded the DFC for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943 but not presented until 9th November 1944 by which time he had returned to Australia and was presented with it at Government House, Perth. He was also awarded the Bar to the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944, again for service with 460 Squadron and presented on the same date as his DFC. The citation for his DFC has not been located but the citation for his Bar to the DFC reads.. "F/O Lawton, now on his second tour of operational duty, has taken part in attacks against such strongly defended objectives as Berlin, Leipzig, Augsburg, Stettin and Frankfurt. As an air bomber he has pressed home the attacks with a complete disregard of enemy opposition. This officer's coolness, co-operation and devotion to duty have contributed much to the successes attained by his crew."
Charles Crook was born on 27th November 1911 in Bendigo, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne. He later received his commission and was awarded the DFC for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1943 and the Bar to the DFC also for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 26th October 1945.
Sgt Edward Sutton was awarded the DFM for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1943. He later received a commission and survived the War.
Lancaster W4331 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V.Roe & Co.Ltd. at Chadderton. It was taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 23rd October 1942 and sustained Cat.A/FB damage as a result the damage on 17th January 1943. A repair on site followed. On 3rd February 1943 it sustained minor Cat.A/FB when the bomb doors were buckled and it was again repaired on site. On 17th April 1943 it was lost on Ops to Plzen with it's then crew of seven being killed. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 30th April 1943.