On the night of 16th / 17th June 1942 the crew of this aircraft were one of a number of 10 Squadron tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Leeming at 23.17hrs. They attacked an alternative target of Bonn because of thick cloud over Germany at 01.09hrs. This aircraft was attacked by an enemy aircrfat and the rear turret, tail plane, fuselage and tail wheel were damaged. The pilot eventually evaded the attack and the Halifax was able to make a safe return to base and landed at Leeming at 04.25hrs. On 19th June 1942 many of this crew were involved in the crash of Halifax W1158 at North Otterington. A number of 10 Squadron's aircrew were posted to the Middle East theatre later in 1942 to be attached to 10/227 Squadron and later to 462 Squadron and some of the crew listed below were part of these numbers.
Pilot - Sgt Philip Gordon Bell RAFVR (1259480).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Kenneth Hughes Whitmore RAFVR (999518).
Observer - Sgt William Albert Yendall RAFVR (1155696).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J Ewen.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Joseph Jacques Hermangilde Leclaire RCAF (R/16096).
Air Gunner - Sgt J T Williams.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Gerard James Yewlett RAFVR (1380269).
Halifax W1155 was built to contract B.982938/40 by English Electric Company Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Leeming on 6th June 1942. As a result of the battle damage on 17th June 1942 minor Cat.A/FB damage was recorded. It was quickly repaired on site but on 25th June 1942 it crashed at Leeming Bar while on an airtest (possibly after repairs were believed complete). Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge the same day. A very brief existance of the aircraft.
Kenneth Whitmore was with the 10 Squadron numbers who went to 10/227 Squadron in July 1943 and 462 Squadron in September 1942. On 12th October 1942 F/Sgt Whitmore was in Halifax W7717 detailed to bomb Tobruk docks, the aircraft was hit by heavy flak as it released its bombs, damage was sustained to the fuselage, wings and engine nacelles and a propeller was hit. As they returned to base the starboard inner engine failed. The aircraft landed at Fayid safely. He was flying in Halifax W7702 on 19th October 1942 to Ops to attack shipping at Tobruk, leaving Fayid at 21.15hrs the starboard outer engine failed and they bombed Sullon Harbour instead but only one bomb would release. The landed at Fayid on three engines at 02.50hrs. On 23rd/24th October 1942 F/Sgt Whitmore was on board Halifax W7659 on Ops to Maleme when the aircraft ran into a heavy snow storm and iced up. Suffering engine trouble it was ditched off Crete but sadly the dinghy failed to inflate and all but one of the crew sadly drowned before help could arrive. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.
Sgt Williams and Sgt Leclaire were with the 10 Squadron group who went to 10/227 Squadron and also served with 462 Squadron.
Sgt Yewlett was still serving with 10 Squadron in England in October 1942 when he survived an accident to Halifax W1276 at Pocklington. He received a commission on 29th August 1944 (183780) to the rank of P/O on probation and was promoted to F/O on 1st March 1945.
William Yendell received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 16th November 1942 and was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 16th May 1943. He was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th October 1943 though no citation for his award has been found. He was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 16th November 1944.
Sgt Leclaire also went to 10/227 Squadron and later to 462 Squadron but after Christmas 1942 when all of 462 Squadron personnel were posted back to the UK nothing is known of him.
Philip Bell had already survived the crash of Halifax L9614 at Leeming in December 1941 and then Halifax W1158 at North Otterington on 19th June 1942. In July 1942 he was posted to 1484 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight at Driffield and was the pilot of Lysander T1679 that crash landed there on 31st July 1942.
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