Halifax W1166 damaged by a night-fighter, returned to East Moor airfield.
At 23.53hrs on 25th June 1942 this Halifax took off from East Moor and set out for an operational flight to bomb targets in Bremen. The aircraft was attacked by a night fighter before arriving in the target area and severe damage was caused to the hydraulic system and wireless equipment with the dinghy being blown out of it's wing stowage. The crew jettisoned the bomb load over Oldenberg, twenty miles from of Bremen and turned for home. They made a safe return to East Moor and landed at 04.37hrs on 26th June 1942.
Pilot - P/O Frederick Sidney White RAFVR (124628).
Second Pilot - S/Ldr Francis Peter Hewitt OBE RAF (26055).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Francis Noel Wright RAF (544832).
Navigator - P/O Eric Johnstone RNZAF (NZ.403962).
Air Bomber - Sgt Douglas George Mogg RAFVR (1180593).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt James Stewart McNally Stewart RAFVR (1259557).
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt Donald McGregor Blott RCAF (later J/16601).
Frederick White was Mentioned in Despatches on an unknown date (probably prior to receiving a commission which came through on 18th May 1942 to the rank of P/O on
probation (emergency).
Francis Hewitt passed out of the RAF College at Cranwell and was granted a commission on 28th July 1928 to P/O. He first served at 100 Squadron. He was promoted to F/O on 28th
January 1930 and was posted to 45 Squadron later in the year before a posting to 14 Squadron, based in Palestine on 30th November 1931. As a F/O he was placed on the retired list
at his own request on 17th August 1932 but the reasons behind this are not yet known by this researcher. He presumably offered his services when War was declared and later rose
to F/Lt (war subs) on 2nd March 1940 (although he had already been retired for nearly ten years) and then to S/Ldr from F/Lt on 1st December 1941. As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded
the OBE in the Kings Birthday Honours list in July 1941. Having been made a PoW in 1942 he survived the War but remained in the forces post-war, he reverted back to the Retired
List of the RAF as a F/O but retaining the S/Ldr rank in September 1950 (back dated to 20th April 1946).
Halifax W1166 was built to contract B982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd at Samlesbury and was delivered into MU for acceptance in May 1942. It was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at East Moor on 16th June 1942. As a result of battle damage sustained on 26th June 1942 Cat.Ac/FB was the damage assessment. It was repaired at East Moor and returned to service with 158 Squadron on 1st August 1942. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it was returned to English Electric to have modifications made on 7th February 1943 and was returned to 158 Squadron on 28th February 1943. It was then transferred to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 12th April 1943 and then immediately passed to 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit at Blyton on 15th April 1943. The aircraft failed a major inspection on 22nd June 1944 and was struck off charge on 25th June 1944.
On the night of 26th / 27th July 1942, P/O White (26 years old), Sgt Mogg (22 years old) and Sgt Wright (22 years old) were lost when Halifax W1164 was ditched in the
North Sea and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/Sgt Blott and P/O Johnstone were also in the aircraft and were picked up and became POWs. Their tour had been
completed but they were doing an extra operational flight.
S/Ldr Hewitt and Sgt Stewart became POW's on 1st August 1942 when Halifax W1190 was shot down by flak and ditched off the Dutch coast.