Halifax R9386 damaged by flak, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On 30th December 1941 the crew of this 35 Squadron aircraft flew an operational flight to bomb German battleships at Brest and took off from base of Linton on Ouse at 11.22hrs.
The aircraft was hit a number of times by flak bursts and possibly further damaged an attacking Me109 aircraft, the Halifax's gunners returned fire and it was driven off, possibly damaged. The crew managed to make a safe return to Linton on Ouse and landed safely at 17.05hrs.
Pilot - F/O Basil Vernon Robinson RAFO (34089).
Second Pilot - Sgt Frank Edward Gardiner RAFVR (1182497).
Observer - P/O Alfred Abels RAFVR (65517).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Henry Hood RAFVR (976069).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Walter Harold Mennell RAFVR (1059210).
Air Gunner - P/O Mark Antony Sachs RAF (46796).
Flight Engineer - F/Sgt Watt. (Probably F/Sgt Stanley Langford Conway Watt RAF (216038)).
Sgt John Hindle and Sgt Norman Hood were killed on 7th May 1942 flying Halifax W1050 on Ops to Stuttgart. They are buried at Neufchateau Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Norman Hood was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 27th July 1942 (with effect from 4th May 1942).
Basil Robinson was awarded the DSO, DFC and Bar, and the AFC while in RAF service. His life and Air Force career is well documented on the internet. G/C Robinson
was killed on 24th August 1943 while serving with 35 Squadron PFF and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
Alfred Abels received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th April 1941 and was promoted to F/O on 6th April 1942. He was awarded the DFC for
service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 29th May 1942. The citation reads.."Flying Officer Abels has participated in many successful sorties including two daylight
attacks on the German battleships which were at Brest. One night in April 1942, as the navigator of an aircraft detailed to attack the German naval base at Trondheim,
he navigated the aircraft safely over the North Sea and mountainous country of Northern Norway, and arrived over the target at the appointed time. The attack was made
from a very low level which necessitated the most accurate map reading. Flying Officer Abels, despite intense opposition, completed this duty most successfully. He has
displayed courage and skill of a high standard." He was later promoted to F/Lt on 3rd November 1942 and to acting S/Ldr on an unknown date. He was serving with 102
Squadron by October 1943 when he was made a PoW on 23rd October 1943 flying in Halifax HR911. He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 14th January 1944.
Sixteen year old Frank Gardiner had lied about his age to enlist for RAF service and after training had initially flown Whitleys. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th July 1942 (126870). He was killed on 25th August 1942 flying Halifax W7765 on Ops to Frankfurt with 35 Squadron, the port inner wing was set on fire by an attacking
night-fighter and while five of the crew were able to bale out, he and one other member of his then crew went down with the aircraft when it crashed in the Marne area of France. He is buried in Choloy War Cemetery and was just eighteen years old.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum in Bomber Command, 44 year old F/Sgt Stanley Watt was killed on 1st March 1943 serving with 35 Squadron when Halifax W7877 was shot down in Holland on Ops to Berlin. He is buried in Markelo General Cemetery. He was born on 31st May 1898 and had served in WW1 in the RNAS in 1916, transferring to the RAF on it's formation in April 1918.
Robinson, Abels, Mennell and Hood were flying Halifax V9978 on 18th December 1941 when they ditched on return from Ops to Brest, this
turned out to be only the second known successful ditching of a Halifax. All were rescued.
Mark Sachs was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 2nd September 1941, for his actions in shooting down enemy aircraft on the attack on German battleship Scharnhorst on 24th July 1941. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 7th November 1941. He became 35 Squadron's Gunnery Officer on receiving his commission. He survived the war and remained in the RAF until 1967 when he "reverted to the retired list" on his own request and retaining the rank of S/Ldr.
Halifax R9386 was built by Handley Page at Radlett and was taken on charge by 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse as new on 17th December 1941. On 30th December 1941 it was damaged by flak that resulted in a damage assessment of Cat.A/FB. It was repaired on site. On 25th January 1942 it was transferred to 76 Squadron and on 17th February 1942 it passed to 78 Squadron. On 23rd April 1942 it was taken on charge by 405 Conversion Flight and joined 1659 Heavy Conversion Flight on 31st December 1942. It was used in a training role for much of it's service life, ending on 18th January 1944 when it crashed near Topcliffe airfield while it's crew were flying a training flight. Sadly two of the crew died in the crash. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 25th January 1944.