On the night of 15th / 16th October 1942 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Cologne and left Pocklington airfield at 18.36hrs. The crew bombed the target area from 16,500 feet but received minor flak damage over Germany, they were able to make the safe return to base and landed at Pocklington at 01.04hrs.
Pilot - Sgt A V Briggs
Navigator - P/O James Malcolm Colquhoun RCAF (J/10181).
? - Sgt G Elm
Air Gunner - Sgt Bertram Charles John White RAFVR (1339032).
Air Gunner - Sgt H F Crosby RCAF (R/88456).
? - Sgt J Hurdon.
? - P/O Gerald James O'Hanley RCAF (J/10184).
Halifax DT518 had a brief but eventful service history. It was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. On 19th September 1942 it was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington. It sustained minor damage by a lightning strike on 5th October 1942. The damage was very minor and assessed as being Cat.A/FB and was repaired on site. On 15th October 1942 it sustained flak damage, Cat.A/FB damage was again the assessment and it was again repaired on site. On 30th October 1942 it swung off the runway on take off from Pocklington resulting in the undercarriage collapsing. The aircraft was again assessed but this time the damage was too great to warrant a repair. Cat.E2/FA damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge. It had clocked up a total of 26 hours flying hours in the weeks it existed.
James Colquhoun was made a PoW on 27th January 1943 when 102 Squadron Halifax W7918 failed to return from Ops to Dusseldorf.
Bertram White was killed on 21st April 1943 when Halifax DT747 failed to return from Ops.
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