On the night of 9th / 10th November 1942 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft took off from Linton on Ouse at 17.42hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Hamburg. After straying off course and flying over Bremen the aircraft was engaged and damaged by flak, the starboard inner engine received damage and the aircraft went out of control for a time. Two members of the crew baled out after receiving the order from the captain to leave the aircraft. After these two left the pilot managed to regain control and was able to fly the aircraft back to Linton on Ouse where they landed at 00.15hrs. The two airmen who baled out, one died and the other became a PoW.
The casualty file states that Sgt Morris' body was found by the side of a road in the Aumuehle area, east of Hamburg, by a forestry lorry driver on 18th November 1942 and was initially buried at Aumuehle.
Pilot - F/O Douglas Anderson RAFVR (102294).
Second Pilot - Sgt Bertram Arthur Shortland RAFVR (1178784).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Ernest Leslie Stephen Killner RAFVR (1202315). Became a PoW.
Air Gunner - Sgt Morris Henry Peacock RAFVR (1337343), aged 19. Buried Hamburg Cemetery, Germany.
Navigator - Sgt Francis Gerald Tredinnick RAFVR (934007).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Jack Davey RAFVR (1180118).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Charles Douglas Eric Seaton RAF (617413).
Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Harry Barrowclough Parkinson Green RAFVR (1379175).
Ernest Killner was born on 15th August 1911 at Plaistow, Sussex and was the son of George William and Louisa Killner. He enlisted for RAF on 23rd September 1940. He married in 1936 and died in Bedfordshire in 1993.
Morris Peacock was born on 22nd May 1923 at Petworth, Sussex and was the son of William Henry and Henrietta Annie (nee Drummond) Peacock. He enlisted for RAF service on 17th April 1941.
Halifax DT511 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was taken on charge by 76 Squadron as new on 13th September 1942 at Middleton St.George. On 17th September 1942 76 Squadron re-located to Linton on Ouse. On 24th September 1942 it received a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment. This must relate to minor battle damage sustained on the night of 23rd / 24th September 1942 on Ops to Flensburg though the squadron records do not mention any damage occurring. The aircraft was repaired on site and was returned to 76 Squadron on 11th October 1942. Cat.A/FB damage would have been the damage assessment after battle damage on 10th November 1942 and again a repair on site was made. The aircraft continued to be used by 76 Squadron until being lost on 21st December 1942 when it failed to return from Ops to Duisburg. Many of the crew were the same for the 9th November 1942 and the date it was lost. Cat.Em damage was the assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 21st December 1942. It had flown 89 hours total flying time from new.
On 20th / 21st December 1942 Anderson, Tredinnick and Davey were flying Halifax DT511 when they were killed on Ops to Duisburg. All are buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
F/Sgt Shortland was killed on 28th September 1943 when 76 Squadron Halifax LK891 was lost on Ops to Hannover.
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