Halifax W7678 damaged by flak, returned to Leeming airfield.

On the night of 5th / 6th 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 22.48hrs. They bombed the primary target at 01.17hrs but the aircraft was hit by flak and although they were able to make a safe return to base and landed at Leeming at 04.14hrs some 35 holes were found in the aircraft.

Pilot - S/Ldr George Phillip Seymour-Price RAFO (34056).

Bomb Aimer - F/O Cyril George Minchinton RAFVR (84895).

Observer - Sgt William Henry Stammers RAFVR (934368).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Geoffrey Patrick Jones DFM RAF (611027).

Air Gunner - P/O W Allen.

Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Leslie Salisbury RAFVR (746777).

Flight Engineer - Sgt George Arthur Sargan RAF (569773).

Halifax W7678 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was awaiting collection on 3rd May 1942. It was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft on 10th May 1942 but two days later was transferred to 10 Squadron at Leeming. As a result of battle damage on 5th / 6th June 1942 minor Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Leeming by Handley Page. It returned to 10 Squadron care on 29th June 1942. 10 Squadron moved to Melbourne on 19th August 1942. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that on 27th August 1942 it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage but how this occurred is not yet known. It was again repaired on site and returned to 10 Squadron on 4th October 1942. It sustained battle damage on 9th January 1943 that must have seen a Cat.A/FB damage assessment which resulted in a repair on site at Melbourne. On 9th February 1943 it was transferred to 76 Squadron at Linton on Ouse. On 3rd / 4th March 1943 it was lost on an operational flight. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 17th March 1943.
On 20th June 1942 F/Sgt Jones, F/Sgt Salisbury and Sgt Sargan were flying together in Halifax BB201 on Ops to Emden when the aircraft was lost without trace. They have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Geoffrey Jones was serving with 77 Squadron when he survived the crash of Whitley Z6463 at Catterick on 3rd March 1941, he was later awarded the DFM for service with 77 Squadron, Gazetted on 18th July 1941. He was posted to 10 Squadron in April 1942.

William Stammers received a commission (134649) on 17th September 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation, he later received promotions to F/O on 17th March 1943 and F/Lt on 17th September 1944.
Cyril Minchinton received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 23rd August 1940 and was graded as P/O on probation on 23rd September 1940. He was confirmed as P/O on 23rd August 1941 and promoted to F/O (war subs) on 23rd September 1941 and F/Lt on 23rd September 1942. He was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. He remained in the RAF after the war and transferred to the Secretarial Branch in September 1949. He was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours list in January 1952 and was appointed to a permanent commission in April 1952 and remained in the RAF until retiring at his own request on 23rd August 1962.
George Seymour-Price was born in Chelsea, London in 1912 and attended Aldenham School, Elstree and later Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation in the RAF on 24th September 1933 and was graded as P/O on 24th March 1934 having been posted to 7 Squadron a couple of weeks earlier. He was promoted to F/O on 24th September 1935 and posted to 802 Squadron in September 1936. He was promoted to F/Lt on 24th September 1937 and was posted to 801 Squadron in July 1938 but was then transferred to the Reserve on 24th March 1939 but was re-called on the outbreak of War six months later as a member of the RAFO. He was promoted to S/Ldr (temp) in 1941. He was awarded the DFC (for service with and while being Commanding Officer of 10/227 Squadron, Gazetted on 4th December 1942 the citation reads.."On 5th September Wing Commander Seymour-Price led his squadron in an attack on Heraklion in Crete. One aircraft was forced to return with engine failure and his second section broke off to attack at a different angle leaving Wing Commander Seymour-Price with a section of only two aircraft. In the face of intense anti-aircraft fire the attack was pressed home but his companion was shot down in flames and Wing Commander Seymour-Price's aircraft severely damaged. On the return journey he was attacked by a fighter but, with great skill and daring, he manoeuvred his aircraft away into the mountain valleys where it was impossible to continue the combat. He then flew safely back to base and, despite the disabled condition of his aircraft, made a perfect landing. At all times Wing Commander Seymour-Price has shown great courage and devotion to duty." He was later the Commanding Officer of 462 Squadron before the end of 1942 being promoted to S/Ldr on 1st September 1942 from the rank of W/Co (temp). He was recalled to the Active list in the RAF as W/Co (temp) in August 1947 with seniority of August 1943 and was later promoted to G/Cpt on 1st January 1954. He retirned as Group Captain but retaining the rank of Air Commodore on 2nd July 1967.

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