Halifax LW686 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th May 1944 this 432 Squadron crew were tasked with bombing a German Rehabilitation Camp at Bourg Leopold. The aircraft took off from East Moor at 23.59hrs and the crew released the bomb load from 12,000 feet at 02.05hrs. The aircraft sustained minor flak damage in the course of the night but the pilot was able to return safely and land at East Moor airfield at 04.34hrs. This aircraft had a dorsal turret fitted and hence an extra air gunner on board.
Pilot - F/O William Kingswell Vickerman RCAF (J/26925).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Peter Walter Edward Dobson RAFVR (1255769).
Navigator - F/O Earl C Watson RCAF (J/28858).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Charles Richard Hoffman RCAF (J/20263).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O L Michael O'Grady RCAF (J/29729).
Air Gunner - Sgt Noé Edward Joseph Beauchesne RCAF (R/200244).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Frederick William Layton RCAF (R/218634).
Mid Under Gunner - F/Sgt Tom Hendry Shanks RAF (746484).
A montage showing F/O Vickerman's regular crew. Credit probably to Ms Lorraine Vickerman. On the night of 7th / 8th June 1944 William Vickerman and his crew were flying in Halifax LW582 when the aircraft was probably attacked by a night-fighter, this set alight the Halifax's fuel tanks. The crew abandoned the aircraft over St.Denis le Ferment. Vickerman, Beauchesne, O'Grady and Dobson evaded capture, Hoffman and Watson were made PoW but P/O Fred Layton RCAF (J/90289) was killed, he was twenty years old and is buried in Marissel French National Cemetery, France.
Sgt Layton and his gravestone. Through searching the internet for details regarding this crew a number of documents were found, the most interesting were created by the pilot's daughter Lorraine Vickerman and much of the information shown here is collated and researched by her and displayed on various websites. Whilst not wishing to hijack her research I feel showing the basics here would let others know that further information is available. All photo credits are down to her. He was born on 12th January 1924 to Frederick and Alma Layton of Fort Garry, Manitoba.
William Vickerman died in 1976. Noé Beauchesne died in 1989. Walter Dobson evaded capture and returned to active service. He left the RAF in 1946 and returned to his job as a plumber, he died in July 2005.
