Halifax W1163 at Marston Moor airfield.
On the night of 25th / 26th June 1942 1652 Conversion Unit were asked to supply aircraft and crews for an operational sortie to Bremen for the third Thousand Bomber raid.
At 12.30hrs this 1652 Conversion Unit aircraft's tail wheel broke off on landing at Marston Moor airfield when it struck the edge of the concrete runway following an air firing exercise prior to the night's orders. The runway surface was slightly higher than that of the grass next to it and striking the edge caused the damage. The damage was swiftly repaired and it used was later that night. It took off from Marston Moor at 23.49hrs with the crew listed below, bombed the target area from 12,000 feet at 02.20hrs and landed at Marston Moor at 05.02hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Robert Alexander Norman RAAF (400102).
Second Pilot - P/O Douglas Burton McLeod RAAF (407905).
Navigator - P/O Alan Douglas Lewis Lamont RNZAF (NZ.404381).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt James F Long RCAF (R/77051).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt William Eric Mander RCAF (R/56422).
Flight Engineer - Sgt William Alfred Lawson RAF(Aux) (804306).
Mid Upper Gunner - F/Sgt Arnold Dudley Heard RAFVR (976622).
Rear Gunner - P/O Murray Lorne McCarthy RCAF (J/7796).
Passenger F/Sgt Robert Henry Hayes RAFVR (1375002).
Douglas Burton McLeod was born on 26th February 1916 in Glenelg, South Australia. He enlisted in Adelaide.
James Long later escaped captivity from Mahrisch work camp in May 1945.
William Eric Mander was born 24th July 1920 and was the son of William John and Mary Jane Mander. He was known by his second name of Eric probably because his
father had the same first name. His mother was born in Scotland but moved to Canada in 1913 with her family but her brother remained in Scotland and later was
elected as M.P. for West Renfrew. Eric enlisted into the RCAF in September 1940 and initially trained as a wireless operator. He went overseas in August 1941
and would re-train as a bomb aimer to fly in Halifax's. F/Sgt Mander was also posted to 102 Squadron soon after this incident, he was sadly killed on 27th July 1942 flying on Ops to Hamburg in Halifax W1153. He is buried in Delfzijl General Cemetery, Holland, he was twenty two years old.
This DFC was almost certainly as a result of completing a Tour with 35 Squadron, he had taken the rank as Acting W/C much earlier than this on 2nd March 1943
when he was posted to command 1663 HCU. On 8th September 1943 he was posted to command 460 Squadron but this was short lived as on 8th October 1943, on his first
operational flight of his second Tour, he was the pilot of Lancaster EE202 on Ops to Hannover when the aircraft was attacked by a night-fighter
south of Hannover. The aircraft broke up in the process of the crew getting clear of the aircraft and
he landed unconsious. He was taken prisoner by the German police the following day but suffered head injuries in the process of getting out of the aircraft.
and saw out the War as a PoW spending 18 months in Stalag Luft III at Sagan. He may have been awarded the DSO but no details of this are in his service
records which would cast doubt on this award but he was certainly Mentioned in Despatches on 28th November 1944. He was discharged on 26th May 1947.
Halifax W1163 was built to contract B.982938/39 by the English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was then taken on charge by 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 16th June 1942 and sustained minor Cat.A/FA damage on 25th June 1942 at Marston Moor. It was then swiftly repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 3rd September 1942 it stalled on approach to land at Marston Moor after the port outer engine failed. Cat.E2/FA damage was the assessment following the second incident and it was struck off charge on 4th September 1942.
Many of those named above were nearing the end of their conversion training and were posted to 102 Squadron soon after this date. On 9th / 10th August 1942 McLeod, Lamont, Long and McCarthy were all flying in Halifax BB211 on Ops to Osnabruck when their aircraft was hit by flak and crashed near Elbergen, Lingen-Ems. Two of the then crew were killed (including P/O McCarthy) and five survived but became PoW's. Murray McCarthy was initially buried in Lingen-Ems but is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. He was twenty eight years old.
Sgt Lawson was sadly killed on 17th August 1942 when Halifax L9609 crashed near Thirsk, Yorkshire (an incident detailed on this website). He was twenty two years old
and is buried in Little Stanmore Churchyard, Middlesex.
Robert Norman was born on 3rd July 1916 in Australia. He worked in a bank for nine years before enlisting into
the RAAF on 27th May 1940. Having gained his Wings on 24th December 1940 he was posted to the UK and after training to fly bombers was
posted to 35 Squadron, arriving on 18th April 1941 but soon left and was posted to 58 Squadron on 24th April 1941. He returned to 35
Squadron on 25th July 1941 and received a commission on 9th August 1941, and was posted to 1652 HCU on 16th November 1941. He rose to
F/O on 9th February 1942 and F/Lt on 9th August 1943. As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron in May 1943,
the citation reads.. "S/Ldr Norman is a courageous and skilful captain of aircraft, who throughout his many operational sorties has shown outstanding keenness and determination."