Halifax R9497 damaged by flak, returned to Leeming airfield.
On the night of 19th / 20th May 1942 the crew of this 10 Squadron this aircraft were given the orders to bomb Mannheim and left Leeming airfield at 22.00hrs, they bombed the target at 01.11hrs and made for home but while flying over Dunkirk the aircraft was slightly damaged by flak. The crew made a safe landing at Leeming at 05.04hrs.
Pilot - P/O John Henry Kenny RAFVR (67700).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Brewer.
Observer - P/O Robert George Albert Burgess RNZAF (NZ.403601).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Haig Strouts RCAF.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Simpson.
Air Gunner - Sgt Ogden.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Thomas William Lemm RAF (566092).
Kenny, Burgess, Strouts and Lemm were all part of the 10 Squadron detachment to the Middle East / North Africa in Summer 1942 known as 10/227 Squadron and all were later posted to 462 Squadron on its formation in the same theatre later in the year. 462 Squadron aircrew were all deemed as operational tour expired at Christmas 1942 and were posted back to the UK.
John Kenny receieved a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st June 1941 and rose to F/O (war subs) exactly a year later. Kenny rose to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st
June 1943 and was awarded the DFC (Gazetted on 11th June 1943) but the unit he was with at the time was not noted in the London Gazette nor has any citation for the award been found but it may relate to his operational flying up to this date with a number of units. The then F/Lt John Kenny DFC sadly lost his life on 7th August 1944 serving with 139 Squadron, Pathfinders. He was aged thirty and is buried at Southampton's Hollybrook Cemetery. His aircraft, Mosquito KB202, caught fire after overshooting a landing in fog at his Upwood base on return from Ops to Castrop-Rauxel and struck the end of a row of terrace houses close to the airfield and sadly two serving aircrew who were in the house at the time also were killed. After his death he was posthumously awarded the Bar to the DFC (Gazetted on 13th October 1944, but back dated to 6th August 1944) for service with 139 Squadron.
Robert Strouts later served with 434 Squadron. He received a Mention in Despatches on 1st January 1946.
Nothing more is known of the other airmen listed towards the top of this page. This Sgt Ogden had flown on other operational flights in May 1942 as an air gunner but on the Thousand Bomber road on 30th May 1942 there was a Sgt J A Ogden flying as a bomb aimer in 10 Squadron Halifax W1042 which failed to return to base and he was later confirmed as being one of the four survivors who were made a PoWs. He may be the same person.
Halifax R9497 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Leeing on 15th March 1942. As a result of the flak damage on 20th May 1942 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 28th June 1942 it was transferred to 102 Squadron and on 29th November 1943 was taken on charge 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. On 19th August 1943 it was involved in a mid air collision with Halifax DG420 and both aircraft fell around the village of Copmanthorpe, York with the loss of both crews. Cat.E2/FA Burnt was the damage assessment. The aircraft was struck off charge on 31st August 1943.
On 11th December 1941 P/O John Kenny and P/O Burgess were returning from Ops to Cologne in Whitley Z9188 when it crashed on high ground west of Ripon, Yorkshire and sadly the second pilot was killed as a result, the rest of the crew survived but all sustained injuries.