Halifax W7670 damaged on Ops, returned to Croft airfield.
On 16th / 17th June 1942 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight and took off from Croft airfield at 22.59hrs, at 00.40hrs while flying at 14,000 feet a flak burst in the Blannenburg area and close to the aircraft resulted in control being lost. The pilot managed to re-gain control but the port inner engine caught fire briefly, height was lost and the crew opted to abandon the rest of the outbound trip and made for home, they jettisoned the bomb load over the sea and landed at 03.07hrs almost certainly at Croft airfield.
Pilot - F/O Harry Arthur Murrell Woodhatch RAFVR (113345).
Second Pilot - Sgt John Kenneth Gregory RAFVR (1066775).
? - Sgt A C Dowden (Possibly Sgt Alan Christopher Dowden RAFVR (924406)).
? - P/O Douglas Norman Bradford RAFVR (119340).
? - Sgt Bruce.
Flight Engineer - Sgt David Clifford Nowell RAF (616640).
? - Sgt Davidson (Possibly Sgt James Davidson RAFVR (1113649)).
Halifax W7670 was built to contract B73328/40 by Handley Page at Radlett and was awaiting collection on 15th April 1942. It was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft on 26th April 1942. As a result of minor battle damage on the night of 16th / 17th June 1942 minor Cat.A/FB damage resulted and it was quickly repaired on site. On the evening of 22nd/23rd June 1942 and then on 25th/26th June 1942 it was to be used operationally but the 78 Squadron ORB lists it simply as a non-starter on both dates. Whatever the cause of the non-starting it was fixed a few days later and used operationally on the evening of 27th June 1942 and on 29th June 1942. The aircraft was then transferred to 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George (but not on 20th June 1942 as stated on the AM Form 78 as it was still listed in the 78 Squadron ORB as being used by them after that date). On transfer to 76 Squadron it was coded "MP-B" but it's life was short-lived. On 20th July 1942 it sustained Cat.E/FB damage as a result of a crash near Yarm. It appears that the aircraft was not wanted by 78 Squadron at the end of June 1942. Was this down to a known fault with the aircraft that resulted in it being grounded for the two nights of 22nd/23rd and 25th/26th June before being transferred out to 76 Squadron, and if so did the fault re-appear when it crashed fatally at Yarm? The aircraft was struck off charge on 25th July 1942.
Harry Woodhatch was born on 27th September 1914 in Surrey. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 25th November 1941 and was promoted to F/O on probation
(war subs) on 1st October 1942. For service with 78 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th November 1942. He was later promoted to F/Lt (War subs) on 10th July 1943. He
was later promoted to Acting S/Ldr and received a posting to 640 Squadron at Leconfield with whom he first flew operationally on 18th April 1944. On the night of 13th/14th September
1944 he was the pilot of Halifax MZ912 flying Ops to Gelsenkirchen, his aircraft was hit by flak and broke its back, S/Ldr Woodhatch was able to release his parachute in the hole
left behind the main spar and was dragged out of the aircraft. He landed safely but was captured and saw out the rest of the War as a PoW. Sadly the rest of his then crew died in
the incident. He died in April 2010 in the Hull area of Yorkshire.
Alan Christopher Dowden received a commission on 27th July 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation and was promoted to F/O six months later. While in the rank of Acting F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th October 1943. He was later promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 11th March 1944 and S/Ldr (war subs) on 29th April 1945
Douglas Bradford received a commission on 23rd March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and was promomted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942. He was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 12th January 1943. He later received a promotion to F/Lt (war subs) on 23rd March 1944 but relinquished his commission on the grounds of ill health on 22nd June 1944.
David Nowell was awarded the DFM for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 12th January 1943. He received a commission on 19th August 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).(53223). On 31st March 1944, while serving with 76 Squadron, he was killed flying Ops to Nuremburg in Halifax LW696. He was buried in Hanover War Cemetery.
In the same London Gazette a Sgt James Davidson also had his DFM Gazetted for service with 78 Squadron, he was probably the same airman as involved in the incident recorded at the top of this webpage.
Sgt Gregory was killed on 1st October 1942 flying 78 Squadron Halifax W1036 and is now buried in Kiel War Cemetery.