Halifax W7777 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the night of 31st July / 1st August 1942 this 158 Squadron aircraft had bombed Dusseldorf when it was hit by flak, the blast blew the aircraft into a loop and control was lost.
The aircraft was put into a 330mph hour dive before the pilot regained control and a safe return to East Moor where it landed at 04.49hrs on 1st August 1942. The damage was later repaired.
Pilot - P/O Charles Lionel Sparke RAFVR (108539).
Navigator - P/O Jack Biddulph Aris RAFVR (118649).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ronald Edlington RAF (569765).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Rayden Frederick Watson RCAF.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harry Middleton RAFVR (1127130).
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Clifford George Dawson RAFVR (1075562).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Denis Ralph Collyer RAFVR (778834).
This photograph shows Charles Sparke and his crew standing in front of Halifax W7777. Left to right - unknown (but probably Dawson), Collyer, Aris, Edlington, Sparke, Middleton and Watson. The photograph was found on a superb French website detailing their loss, the web address is "www.histavia21.net/HISTAV2/SAONELOIRE-1942.htm"
P/O Sparke and crew completed their conversion training with 158 CU at East Moor on 11th July 1942. Sparke flew his first operational flight with half of the crew involved in the incident detailed above on 21st July 1942 to Nantes in Halifax BB208. All of the above named apart from Sgt Dawson were killed on 11th December 1942 when Halifax DT579 crashed in France. P/O Collyer was one of the oldest in Bomber Command at thirty one years old. All were buried at Villeneuve-en-Montagne Communal cemetery. Mrs Mary Collyer for contacting me in October 2012 for supplying extra details regarding her late husband's uncle Denis Collyer. In 1992 a memorial stone was placed at the crash site.
Charles Sparke received a commission on 11th October 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), rising to F/O (war subs) on 1st October 1942. His rank was Acting F/Lt when he died.
Jack Aris received a commission on 7th March 1942 to P/O (emergency), rising to F/O (war subs) on 1st October 1942.
Rayden Watson received a commission (J/16430) soon after this incident and had reached the rank of Flying Officer at his death.
Denis Collyer was also commissioned soon after this incident on 18th September 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).
Jack Aris was almost certainly born in Sevenoaks in 1915 and married in Croyden in 1940.
P/O Dawson was killed on 3rd April 1943 and was still serving with 158 Squadron when Halifax DT635 crashed in Germany,
he now buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. He had received a commission on 19th February 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency).
Halifax W7777 was built to contract B73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd at Radlett and was delivered directly to 158 Squadron at East Moor on 14th July 1942. After the incident detailed above Cat.A/FB was probably the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. Repairs were completed by 5th August 1942. The aircraft was lost on 20th September 1942 on Ops to Saarbrucken, two of the then crew were able to bale out but five sadly were killed. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 28th September 1942.