Wellington BK398 damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the evening of the 14th February 1943 the crew of this 424 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Cologne and they left base of Topcliffe at 18.08hrs. The aircraft was slightly damaged by flak which made a hole in the windscreen, a splinter glass lodged itself in the pilot's eye but he was able to make the return flight and land at base of Topcliffe at 23.45hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Johnnie Comar RAF (43026 later C/89569), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Navigator - P/O Ralph William Thompson RAFVR (130160).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Lambert Richard Nussbaum RCAF (J/7800), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt C F Tarry.
Air Gunner - Sgt G A Smith.
Second Wireless Operator - P/O J J Soumillard.
Wellington BK398 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in October 1942. It was received by 51 MU on 13th October 1942 and was taken on charge by 424 Squadron at Topcliffe on 31st December 1942. It was used operationally by 424 Squadron on 15th, 21st, 26th and 30th January 1943, then 4th, 7th, 11th and 13th February 1943. It sustained very minor Cat.A/FB damage on Ops on 14th February 1943 and was repaired on site at Topcliffe. The repair was done very quickly as it was used operationally again on 16th February 1943. It remained with 424 Squadron flying operationally 16th, 24th, 27th, 28th February 1943, 1st, 2nd 3rd, 8th, 13th, 26th, 28th, 29th March 1943 and 4th April 1943. It sustained minor flak damage on 4th April 1943 with Cat.A/FB damage the assessment and a repair on site probably being made again. After this 424 Squadron ceased operating Wellington MkIII and exchanged them for Wellington MkX, BK398 was replaced as "-W" by HE684. Immediately after repair it was transferred to 26 O.T.U. at Wing on 7th April 1943. It remained there until late-1944 when it was flown to 8 MU and was placed in store. Wellington BK398 passed to 27 MU on 3rd September 1945 and was struck off charge on 4th June 1947.
Ralph Thompson received a commission on 12th October 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). On 11th April 1943 he was killed flying with 424 Squadron in Wellington HE159 which developed engine trouble on Ops to Frankfurt and crashed in Kent. He is buried in Castle Bromwich Churchyard, Warwickshire.
Lambert Nussbaum was the son of Herbert and Frances Nussbaum, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was born on 10th May 1917. Prior to enlisting in the RCAF in November 1940 he gained a B.Sc. at the McGill University, Montreal. he was reported as missing with 424 Squadron on 29th June 1943 and is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.
John Comar was born in Winnipeg in June 1915 he served in the Canadian Army from 1934 to 1939 serving in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
but enlisted into the RAF in September 1939 and first flew Whitley with 78 Squadron. He was later posted to 424 Squadron to fly Wellingtons.
Having completed his first tour of operations he was later posted to 105 Squadron in January 1944 to begin a second tour. For service with 105 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th September 1944. No citation for his DFC has been located. He transferred to RCAF on 7th February 1945. S/Ldr Comar was awarded the Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross also for service with 105 Squadron, Gazetted 21st September 1945, the citation reads.. "Squadron Leader Comar, during the whole of his operational career, has displayed skill and tenacity of purpose in everything he has undertaken.
Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross this officer has continued to operate with courage and determination, often in the face of
fierce opposition, thus establishing one of the most outstanding operational records in the squadron." Postwar he was Commanding Officer of 429 Squadron, he remained in the RCAF until retiring on 20th June 1953.
The second wireless operator, P/O Soumillard, only appears to have flown two operational flights with 424 Squadron; on 13th and then 14th February 1943. Whether he was a 424 Squadron airman or perhaps undergoing some form of operational experience prior to a posting to another squadron has not yet been discovered.