Halifax DT521 damaged by fighters, returned to Yorkshire (landed at East Moor or Linton on Ouse airfield?).
On the night of 23rd / 24th October 1942 this 158 Squadron aircraft was taking part on a raid on Genoa, earlier in the day 158 Squadron aircraft had been flown to an airfield further south for this raid due to the distance involved. They set out from this forward base at 17.48hrs. While over the Turin area this aircraft was attacked by two unidentified aircraft and the cannon fire damaged the Halifax, the rear of the aircraft was damaged and the rear gunner sustained injuries. The crew released their bomb load from 14,500 feet at 22.21hrs. A return to the UK was made and they landed at 03.20hrs. One of the crew was then admitted to Linton on Ouse Sick quarters so they may have landed there or landed at base or East Moor and he was driven over to Linton. This was possibly the last battle damaged aircraft that returned home to East Moor in 1942. 158 Squadron moved out to Rufforth at the end of October 1942 and 429 Squadron formed at East Moor upon their departure. Bad weather and training meant the new squadron carried out no operational raids at the end of 1942; their first being in January 1943.
Pilot - Sgt Maynard Meyer Caplan RAFVR (1282511).
Second Pilot - Sgt Sydney Henry John White RAFVR (1259712).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Arthur Alfred Frederick RAF (569385).
Navigator - Sgt Alfred Gerald Fleet RAFVR (1217597).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt James Robert Laws RCAF, of Parkhill, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Clayton Stait RAFVR (1305118).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred Corpe RAFVR (1375932). Injuries to hands and face.
Air Gunner - Sgt Arthur Maxim Daubon RAFVR (943286). Injured.
Alfred Corpe was probably born in 1920 in Derby. He was initially admitted to Linton on Ouse Station Sick Quarters and then on to York Military Hospital but on 14th November 1942 he was transferred to East Grinstead Hospital where he received treatment as one of the famous Guinea Pig patients.
Maynard Caplan received a commission on 6th February 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), rising to F/O (war subs) on 6th August 1943. He was awarded the DFM in May 1943, after his commission but for work done before his commission. The citation has been located in Flight Magazine under the headline "Three-engined Expert", the citation reads.. "F/Sgt Caplan has just completed a most successful tour of operations, during which he has taken part in bombing attacks against targets in Germany and Italy, often in the face of intense fighter opposition and heavy ground defences. On three occasions this airman has brought his aircraft safely back to base on three engines, and he has also obtained some excellent photographs." F/O Caplan DFM was posted for instructional duties after completing his Tour but was sadly killed on 7th September 1943 when Halifax DT524, of 1658 HCU, crashed near Howden, Yorkshire. He is buried at East Ham (Marlow Road) Jewish Cemetery. He was also Mentioned in Despatches after his death with a huge number of service personnel on 14th January 1944.
Sydney White was born in Greenwich, London in 1916, he received a commission on 2nd January 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency), he was lost when 158 Squadron Halifax DT681 on 29th January 1943 when he failed to return on Ops to Lorient. His aircraft crashed in France, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Arthur Frederick received a commission on 5th April 1943 to P/O on probation and rose to F/O on probation on 5th October 1943. He was lost on 13th September 1944 when 640 Squadron Halifax MZ912 failed to return from Ops to Gelsenkirchen, crashing at Bottrop. He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, and was twenty four years old.
Alfred Fleet received a commission on 11th February 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency), rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 11th August 1943. He was lost when 105 Squadron Mosquito LR477 crashed near Narborough, near Swaffham, Norfolk, on return from Ops to Leverkusen on 23rd November 1943. He is buried in Bradford (Bowling) Cemetery, Yorkshire. His then pilot P/O E Wade was the holder of the B.E.M. and was also killed in the crash and is buried in Keighley, Yorkshire.
James Laws survived the War having gained the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. He was born in Parkhill, Ontario, Canada in 1918 and prior to enlisting for RCAF service his home was in Sarnia where he worked as a lab assistant. He enlisted in London, Ontario on 18th December 1940 and previously had served in the Royal Canadian Artillery. He received a commission November 1942. His DFC was gained whilst serving with 158 Squadron (award effective 6th August 1943) and he was invested with it at Buckingham Palace on 7th November 1944, the Citation reads.. "Pilot Officer Laws has taken part in a large number of operational sorties against some of the enemy's most heavily defended targets including Hamburg, Frankfurt, Turin, Genoa, Stettin, Cologne, Essen and Dortmund. Undoubtedly the excellent results obtained by his crew were largely due to the skill and determination of this officer to press his attacks home regardless of the heaviest enemy opposition. As assistant bombing leader the high standard of efficiency of the bomb aimers in the squadron is directly attributable to the untiring efforts and enthusiasm of Pilot Officer Laws." Later in the War he was posted to 640 Squadron where he gained the Bar to the DFC (Gazetted on 5th April 1945), he was presented with it on 28th May 1947. The Citation for this award reads.."Flight Lieutenant Laws has now completed a second tour of operations which has included attacks against such major targets as Magdeburg, Duisburg, Essen and Hamburg and others in support of our front line troops. At all times he has shown a fine fighting spirit and the utmost courage and determination in the face of enemy opposition. During a daylight attack against Munster in September 1944, the aircraft in which he was flying was hit by anti-aircraft fire. One engine failed and shell fragments penetrated the bomb aimer's compartment. Undeterred, Flight Lieutenant Laws bombed the target with cool determination which earned him the admiration and confidence of all his crew." I credit Hugh Halliday's superb RCAF awards research with much of this biog.
John Stait received a commission on 6th February 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency), rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 6th August 1943 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 6th February 1945. He survived the War and died in Worcester in 1982.
Arthur Daubon received a commission on 11th July 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency) rising to F/O (war subs) on 11th January 1944. He transferred to the Admin and Special Duties Branch on 16th February 1944. He left the RAF on 1st June 1945 on the grounds of "ill health", whether this was down to an aircraft accident is not yet known. It is likely that he was once known as Arthur Dawborn and changed his name by deed-poll on 16th August 1943. At this date his home address was Thayer Street, St.Marylebone, London. He had married in Leeds in 1944.
Halifax DT521 was built to contact B982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was delivered directly to 158 Squadron at East Moor on 24th September 1942. It suffered Cat.Ac/FB following battle damage on 23rd / 24th October 1942 and was repaired on site. It moved with 158 Squadron to Rufforth on 6th November 1942. The aircraft then suffered an undercarriage collapse at Rufforth on 10th November 1942 that would appear to have resulted in Cat.B/FA because the aircraft was transported to Handley Page for a repair in works. Once servicable it passed to 8 M.U. on 17th March 1943 where it was placed in store. The aircraft was then taken on charge by 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 4th October 1943. On 12th April 1944 it passed to 1662 H.C.U. at Blyton where is ended it's days before being struck off charge on 18th July 1944 as time expired. It had clocked up a total flying time of 463 flying hours.