Halifax L9501 damaged by enemy fighters, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.

On 30th June 1941 the crew of this 35 Squadron aircraft were tasked with a daylight operational flight to bomb Kiel, they took off from Linton on Ouse at 10.13hrs and bombed the target area successfully at 13.15hrs. Shortly after leaving the target area on their return the aircraft was attacked and hit by fire from Bf110 fighters. The starboard outer engine sustained damaged and was feathered, the wireless transmitter was knocked out and the wings and fuselage were also damaged. One of the crew was also hit by the enemy gunfire and was seriously wounded in the right thigh, he sadly died before aircraft landed safely at Linton on Ouse despite the crew's best efforts to save him. For their actions on this night the pilot was awarded the DFC and the wireless operator was awarded the DFM. The first named airman was the one who sadly died as a result of this incident while the rest of the crew escaped serious injury.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Urquhart Simpson RAF (647593), aged 25, of Kirriemuir. Buried Kirriemuir Cemetery, Angus.

Pilot - Acting F/O Robert Fenwick Owen RAFVR (84914).

Second Pilot - Sgt Leslie Alec Hayward RAFVR (1164652).

Observer - Sgt Eric Arthur Fawn Gibb RAFVR (751865). Slightly injured.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Peter Hogg RAF (631203).

Air Gunner - Sgt John Lewins RAFVR (1115655).

Flight Engineer - Sgt James William Hays RAF (568588).

Halifax L9501 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 37 M.U. on 1st January 1941. It was allotted to 35 Squadron on 17th February 1941 and was then taken on charge by 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 18th March 1941. As a result of the damage sustained on 30th June 1941 minor Cat.A/FB resulted and it was repaired on site. On 24th July 1941 it suffered engine failure that forced it's crew to land at Weston Zoyland where minor damage was found to have resulted to the engine. On 29th August 1941 it failed to return from an operational flight to bomb Duisburg and it's crew of seven were killed. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 30th August 1941.
Alexander Simpson's father was killed in the First World War and was a member of the Black Watch. His obituary as located by historian Martyn Critchlow gives details that Alexander had flown twenty five operational flights and that he had a brother serving in the RAF in 1941.
James Hays was serving with 35 Squadron on 15th September 1941 and flying ops to Hamburg in Halifax L9503 when the aircraft failed to return, he saw out the rest of the war as a PoW. He was probably the same man in Halifax L9501 on 30th June 1941. He received the British Empire Medal on 1st January 1953.
Robert Owen received a commission on 10th August 1940 (with seniority of 4th August 1940) to the rank of P/O on probation. On 24th July 1941 F/O Owen and Sgt Hogg were tasked with bombing the German Battleship 'Scharnhorst', their aircraft was damaged by flak from both ground defences and the ship. The aircraft was also attacked by enemy fighters but his gunners returned fire and would claim one as being shot down. They landed at West Zoyland airfield on the return. It is possible that many of his then crew were with him on 30th June 1941 when the incident recorded at the top of this page occurred. For his actions in the incident recorded above he was awarded the DFC, the citation was a joint one with his wireless operator and his given below in Sgt Hogg's biog (but the London Gazette printed the wrong service number). He was promoted to F/O on 10th August 1941 (with seniority of 4th August 1941). As Acting F/Lt on 22nd December 1941 he was killed while instructing with 28 Conversion Flight based at Leconfield, he was flying in Halifax L9522 on a transit flight when it crashed on the Lincolnshire / Leicestershire border with the loss of all the crew. He was cremated at Golders Green, Middlesex and was twenty five years old. This was the only fatal 28 Conversion Flight accident.
Sgt Eric Gibb was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd September 1941 but by then received a commission to the rank of P/O on 7th August 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation. The recommendation for his DFM reads.. "Sgt Gibb is an observer of outstanding ability possessed of a high order of courage. He has been the navigator in F/O Owen’s crew over a long period of operations and has contributed in a marked way to the successes achieved. He is strongly recommended for the recognition of the Distinguished Flying Medal” As Acting F/O he was sadly killed on 22nd December 1941 serving with No.28 Conversion Flight in the crash that killed F/Lt Owen as recorded above, he was twenty two years old and is buried in Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh.
Douglas Hogg was probably born in Norwich in 1918. He was later awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, the citation Gazetted on 25th July 1941 was a joint one with Acting F/O Owen and reads.. "In June, 1941, Flying Officer Owen and Sergeant Hogg were the captain and wireless operator/air gunner respectively of an aircraft which participated in a daylight attack on Kiel. After successfully bombing his objective, Flying Officer Owen's aircraft was attacked by four enemy fighters whilst attempting to regain formation with his leader. The aircraft was repeatedly hit the starboard engine and the wireless were put out of action and the beam gunner killed. Sergeant Hogg coolly returning fire was instrumental in keeping the fighters at long range which enabled his captain to manoeuvre his aircraft and reach cloud cover. Sergeant Hogg thereupon skilfully repaired the wireless set reconnecting twenty-five leads with spare wire. Although one engine had ceased to function Flying Officer Owen flew safely back to base. Throughout, this officer displayed exceptional skill and courage and was ably assisted by the coolness and ability of Sergeant Hogg." He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 27th August 1942 (49999), he was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 27th February 1943 and later to F/Lt (war subs) on 27th August 1944. He married in York in 1943. After the War he relinquished his commission on the grounds of ill health on 26th June 1946. He remained in York where he died in 1979.

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