Halifax W1093 damaged by flak, returned to Croft airfield.
On the night of 8th / 9th June 1942 this 78 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Essen took off at 23.24hrs, the crew believed that they bombed the suburbs of
Essen but the aircraft sustained minor flak damage. They landed safely at Croft at 04.40hrs.
Pilot - P/O Connolly (probably P/O Hamilton Wellesley Connolly RAAF (402492).
Air Gunner - Sgt Richard Geoffrey Kendall RCAF (R/70732).
Navigator - Acting F/Lt George Thomas Pearson RCAF (J/4780).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harrold Moffat Clark RAFVR (1104588).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Leonard Millband RAF(AAF) (815171).
Air Gunner - Sgt Nesbitt (probably John Douglass Nesbitt RAFVR (935308)).
Halifax W1093 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Ltd. at Salmesbury. On 29th April 1942 it was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft. As a result of minor battle damage on 9th June 1942 Cat.A/FB was the damage assessment, it was repaired on site and returned to 78 Squadron use. On an operational flight on 9th / 10th November 1942 it sustained battle damage and a landing at Rufforth was made. A Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment was made and a repair on site was again carried out. It was returned to 78 Squadron on 18th December 1942. On 23rd December 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. On 4th August 1943 it crashed at Breighton. Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment and as a repair was started it was found to be beyond repair so was Re-Cat.E on 16th August 1943 and was struck off charge.
John Nesbitt recieved a commission on 6th October 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergcency)(133519) and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 6th April 1943.
By 14th July 1943 he was in the rank of Acting F/Lt and 78 Squadron's Gunnery Leader, on this date he was flying Ops to Aachen in Halifax JD108 when the aircraft was shot down by a
night fighter and crashed in Belgium. He and two other airmen lost their lives. F/Lt Nesbitt was thirty one years old and is buried in Gosselies Communal Cemetery, Belgium. He was
the son of John Douglas and Adelina Maria Nesbitt, of East Herrington, Co.Durham.
Sgt Millband and Sgt Clark were still serving with 78 Squadron on 2nd October 1942 when they were killed flying Ops to Krefeld in Halifax W1275 when the aircraft failed to return. They are buried in Rheinburg War Cemetery, Germany.
Hamilton Wesley Connolly was born on 31st March 1918, he enlisted into the RAAF in September 1940 and on arrival in the UK was posted to 76 Squadron in September 1941, he later
received a posting to 77 Squadron in November 1941 and later to 78 Squadron in March 1942. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 15th Narch 1942, F/O on 15th September
1942 and later to Acting F/Lt and Acting S/Ldr. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. He was later posted to 466 Squadron in October 1943 and served as their
Commanding Officer from 23rd May 1944 to 20th October 1944, for service with 466 Squadron he was awarded the Bar to the DFC, Gazetted on 17th November 1944. He ended the War in the
rank of Acting W/Co and was award the US DFC on 15th May 1945.
Richard Kendall was still serving with 78 Squadron when he was flying in Halifax W1245 on the night of 11th / 12th August 1942 when the aircraft failed
to return. He was taken PoW.
George Pearson was awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th May 1943. He later served with 405 Squadron. On 31st August 1943 he was flying in Halifax HR915 when the aircraft failed to return from an operational flight and he became a PoW. Hugh Halliday's awards research on "www.rcafassociation.ca" has a superb account of his service.