During the day of 12th March 1941 this 10 Squadron aircraft was one of a number flown from their regular base of Leeming to Dishforth airfield where the unit began their operational flights from on this date. This aircraft then took off from Dishforth airfield at 20.55hrs to begin an operational flight to bomb Hamburg.
They released their bomb load over the target area at 00.45hrs from 9,500 feet. En route to the target and while over it the aircraft flew through severe flak and searchlight concentrations, the aircraft was hit several times by flak over the target area and slight damage was sustained. On their return to England they made a safe landing at Leeming at 04.10hrs. The aircraft was swiftly repaired and was being used by 10 Squadron again on 18th March 1941 when it would crash near Masham.
Pilot - Sgt John McHale RAFVR (741064).
Second Pilot - P/O William Freund RAFVR (88870).
Observer - P/O Anthony John Mulligan RAFVR (89770).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Millar RAFVR (902583).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Edward Peter Hogan RAFVR (940001).
F/Sgt John McHale and Sgt Edward Hogan were both posted to 76 Squadron, they were killed on 13th August 1941 when Halifax L9562 crashed
near Middleton St.George. F/Sgt McHale is buried in Leeds Roman Catholic Cemetery. Sgt Hogan is buried in Southwick Cemetery, Sunderland.
Anthony Mulligan received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 3rd January 1941 (with seniority of 3rd November 1940). He was promoted to
F/O on 3rd January 1942 and F/Lt (war subs) on 3rd January 1943 (with the same two months back-dated seniority). After serving with 10 Squadron he would
later served with 156 Squadron PFF. He was awarded the DFC and DSO for service with them, the DFC Gazetted on 9th November 1943 and the DSO Gazetted on
20th July 1944. He was later reported as missing flying over the Bermuda Triangle after WW2.
Alexander Millar received his commission on 19th December 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation (114578). He was promoted to F/O on probation on 1st October 1942 and to F/Lt on 19th December 1943. He was Mentioned in Despatches with a huge number of other air force personnel on 8th June 1944 but he was killed on 11th September 1944 while serving with 156 Squadron when Lancaster ND534 failed to return from an operational flight to Gelsenkirchen. He was twenty eight years old and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
William Freund received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 30th November 1940 (with seniority of 19th November 1940). Nothing more is known about him, he doesn't appear to have been died during WW2 or risen from the rank of P/O.
Whitley T4202 was built to contract 38599/39 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 1st October 1940. It was slightly
damaged by flak on 4th March 1941 and would have been repaired on site and returned to 10 Squadron use. It was damaged again by flak on the night of 12th / 13th March 1941 and again repaired on site. Cat.A/FB damage the likely assessment in both cases although the damage does not feature in the published Air Britain history of the aircraft. At the time of these incidents 10 Squadron were technically based at Leeming airfield but used Dishforth to begin some of their operational flights. Cat.E2/FB damage was sustained when it crashed near Masham, Yorkshire just days later on 19th March 1941 and the aircraft was struck off charge.