On the evening of 20th December 1942 this 102 Squadron aircraft took off from Pocklington airfield at 18.00hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Duisburg. The crew released their bombs over the target area from 18,000 feet but during the course of being over Germany the aircraft was hit by a flak which made a hole through the second pilot's window. The aircraft appears to have escaped further damage and a safe return to Pocklington was made, landing at 23.28hrs.
Pilot - F/Sgt John Richard McCormack RNZAF (NZ.412004).
? - Sgt William Thraves Lambert RAF (656228).
? - Sgt J A Lewis.
? - Sgt B Lee.
Air Gunner - Sgt T W/M Holder (Probably Sgt Thomas Malcolm Holder RAFVR (1026150)).
? - Sgt N Beale (Probably Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Arthur Beale RAFVR (751620)).
? - Sgt W Stewart.
John McCormack had flown with 102 Squadron in late 1942 / early 1943 and for his service he was awared the DFC, Gazetted on 13th July 1943. The citation for his DFC reads.. "A high proportion of the sorties which this officer has completed with success have been attacks on heavily defended targets such as Berlin, Essen, Hamburg, and Munich. P/O McCormack's fine leadership has been largely responsible for the success of his crew, which has never failed to complete a sortie successfully and has frequently secured outstanding photographs." He instructed at 1663 H.C.U. for eighteen months following his time with 102 Squadron and later returned to operational flying with 608 Squadron in 1944 and survived the War.
Halifax W7910 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 27th October 1942. As a result of battle damage sustained on 20th December 1942 Cat.A/FB was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site at Pocklington. On 4th January 1943 it crash landed near Huby when both port engines stopped mid-flight, the damage was initially assessed as being Cat.E1/FA that should have seen it written off. A team from Handley Page recovered the aircraft and on 7th January 1943 they made a further assessment of the damage downgrading it to Re-Cat.B. A repair must have then started but on 22nd March 1943 it was again assessed, possibly after internal damage was located, and it was then deemed beyond repair at Re-Cat.E and struck off charge on that date.
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