Wellington BK389 damaged by flak, returned to Croft airfield.
The evening of 2nd January 1943 was the first time the newly created No.6 Group flew an operational flight. The crew of this 427 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a mine laying
flight and took off at 17.50hrs, this aircraft was hit by flak and a hole around a foot wide was made in the starboard wing. The pilot was able to make the safe return
to England and landed at 22.48hrs, probably at Croft. The previous day 427 Squadron aircraft had flown to Middleton St.George where a mine laying flight should
have started from but was scrubbed before taking off and it could well be that the same aircraft started from Middleton St.George on this flight.
Pilot - Sgt Patrick Kelly Chambers RCAF (R/96292), of Long Beach, California, USA.
Navigator - Sgt Roy Frederick Moore RCAF (R/79424), of Melbourne, Quebec, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Lee Henry Alexander McCormick RCAF (R/98027), of Leamington, Ontario, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Brock Laverne Owen RAFCR (R/90400), of Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt Bryon Homer Garoutte RCAF (R/122401), sister of Seal Beach, California, USA.
This crew were later posted to 432 Squadron, all were flying together on the night of 3rd / 4th July 1943 on Ops to Cologne when the Wellington HX481 crashed in Holland. All are now buried in Heverlee War Cemetery. I credit the Facebook group "Heverlee War Cemetery WW1 & WW2" group with the gravestone photographs.
Wellington BK389 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester. It was initially allocated to 419 Squadron at Crof who took the aircraft on charge on 9th October 1942. In November 1942 they were in the process of converting to Halifax MkII's so the aircraft was taken on charge by 427 Squadron at Croft on 9th November 1942. As a result of this battle damage on 2nd January 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It continued to be used by 427 Squadron until 30th January 1943 when it was lost on an operational flight to Oldenburg. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded and it's crew of five were killed.
