On the night of 27th / 28th August 1942 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational fligh to bomb Kassel and left Breighton at 20.09hrs. They released their bombs successfully but the aircraft was hit by flak bursts, damage was sustained to three instruments and the hydraulics. A landing was made at 03.05hrs at Breighton without further incident.
Pilot - Sgt Alexander William Wales RAF (10991), of Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia.
Bomb Aimer? - Sgt John Manalaus Panos RAAF (403001), of Rainworth, Queensland, Australia.
Navigator - Sgt Royds Molyneux Canvin RAAF (411441), of Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John William Moore RAAF (401711), of Casterton, Victoria, Australia.
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Sanders RAAF (407933), of Virginia, South Australia.
Alexander Wales was born on 6th October 1921 in Melbourne, he enlisted there and after training was posted to 460 Squadron. He completed his first Tour with 460 Squadron and
was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 20th April 1943 and presented at Buckingham Palace on 30th November 1943. The citation for his DFM reads.. "Sgt Wales has invariably pressed home
his attacks with the utmost determination. He has displayed high qualities of leadership and his enthusiasm for operational duties has been a fine example to other members of
his crew." He was later awarded the DFC for flying a second Tour with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 and presented in Melbourne in May 1945. Alex Wales took a job
as a civilian pilot postwar and flew with Cathay Pacific Airlines.
John Panos was born on 18th January 1917 in Brisbane and enlisted there. After training he was posted to 460 Squadon in 1942 and was awarded the DFC for service with 460
Squadron, Gazetted 14th January 1944 but not presented until much later Government House, Brisbane on 30th July 1947. He was posted away from 460 Squadron on 1st November 1943
to 1656 HCU. On 27th January 1944 he was involved in some form of incident or accident but no details are known.
Royds Canvin was born on 3rd February 1913 in Neutral Bay, New South Wales, he enlisted in Sydney. He completed a Tour with 460 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for this
service, Gazetted on 13th July 1943 and awarded at Buckingham Palace on 15th February 1944. The citation for his DFC reads.. "During his tour of operational duty this officer
has completed three raids on Berlin and a number of sorties to the heavily defended areas of the Ruhr and Rhineland." He baled out of an unidentified aircraft on 16th November
1943 near Lincoln but further details are not known.
John Moore was born on 14th February 1913 in Glasgow, Scotland but was living in or around Melbourne when he enlisted. He was a secondary school teacher prior to enlisting
and specialised in agricultural science, physics and chemistry. After completing his first Tour with 460 Squadron he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 14th May 1943 and presented
on 16th November 1943 at Buckingham Palace. The citation for his DFM reads.. "F/Sgt Moore, a wireless operator of very high calibre, has completed 30 operational sorties against
targets in Germany, Italy and Occupied France, including Lorient, St.Nazaire, Berlin and Essen." He later saw service in Malta, the Middle East and North Africa rising to the rank
of F/Lt. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 but it was presented in Australia in May 1945.
Alexander Sanders was born on 23rd January 1911 in North Adelaide, South Australia and enlisted in Adelaide. He was awarded the DFM for completing a first Tour with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th June 1943 and presented at Buckingham Palace on 14th March 1944. The brief citation for his DFM reads.."F/Sgt Sanders has participated in a large number of operational sorties over Germany, Italy and occupied France." He later flew a second Tour with 460 Squadron and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 but presented
to him at Government House, Adelaide on 14th December 1944. No citation has been located.
Wellington Z1484 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden, Chester and was awaiting collection in February 1942. It was received by 12 MU at Kirkbride on 19th February 1942 and was later taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 20th May 1942. As a result of minor damage on 3rd July 1942 Cat.A/FB damage would have been recorded on the paperwork. It was repaired on site and was then flak damaged again on 27th / 28th August 1942 on Ops and again Cat.A/FB would have been the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. Neither incident is logged on the aircraft's AM Form 78. The aircarft was taken on charge by 18 O.T.U. at Bramcote on 29th September 1942. It was slightly damaged in a flying accident on 20th November 1942 and Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment. It was repaired on site and was returned to 18 O.T.U. on 19th December 1942. It then moved to 104 Transport O.T.U. at Nutt's Corner on 23rd April 1943 a month after the unit formed. On 5th February 1944 104 O.T.U. disbanded and the aircraft may have remained there pending disposal. It was struck off charge on 1st April 1944.
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