Halifax DK146 damaged by flak, returned to Leeming airfield.
On the night of 29th / 30th May 1943 427 Squadron undertook operational flights to bomb Wuppertal and this was the first operational flight that 427 Squadron flew after
converting to the Halifax. This crew took off from Leeming at 22.45hrs and received flak damage just short of the target area so they opted to release their bomb load early and turn for home. They landed at Leeming at 04.40hrs.
Pilot - P/O Basil Glynn Crew RCAF (J/17170).
Navigator - F/Sgt Robert Lyster Skillen RCAF (R/79352).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Huge William Campbell RCAF (R/95954).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt W P Sutor RCAF (R/107415).
Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Nelson RAFVR (969187).
Flight Engineer - Sgt W Powell RCAF (R/62121).
Air Gunner - Sgt B J Mercier RCAF (R/117967).
F/O Hugh Campbell was also flying in S/Ldr Crew's crew on 5th January 1945 and was made a PoW.
F/Sgt Skillen was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for service with 427 Squadron, the notification appeared in the London Gazette on 12th November 1943. He was born in Montreal in 1920 but was living in Arvida, Quebec and working as a chemist when he enlisted in Montreal on 21st April 1941. He was invested with the DFM by King George VI on 11th August 1944. He survived the War and returned home, he died in London, Ontario on 12th April 1996, aged 76.
For service with 427 Squadron Harold Nelson was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, Gazetted on 12th November 1943 (the same date as Skillen). He was born in Doncaster, Yorkshire in 1921 and lived and worked in Wadworth as a farm labourer when he enlisted in 1939.
Sgt Suter may well have been the same person who survived the baling out of Wellington X3940 on a training flight over Tadcaster on 4th September 1942. He received a commission on 11th July 1943 (J/18117).
Basil Crew was born on 20th December 1919 in Wawota, Saskatchewan and when he enlisted into the RCAF in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on 26th February 1941 he was working as a hotel clerk at his parents hotel. Upon arrival in the UK he was posted to 6 SFTS/6(P)AFU on 23rd February 1942 and then on to 25 OTU on 16th June 1942. He (Skillen, Campbell and Nelson) were training together at this unit and flying Wellington T2715 on when they crashed on Dufton Fell, in the North Pennines. After completing his training at 25 OTU he was posted to 427 Squadron on 1st December 1942, he completed a Tour with this Squadron for which he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. He was invested with the DFC by King George VI on 11th August 1944, the citation for his DFC reads.. "As captain of aircraft this officer has successfully completed a number of operational sorties. He has at all times displayed a high standard of courage and efficiency. His keenness and devotion to duty under difficult and hazardous conditions have been of a high order". After his time with 427 Squadron he spent time at Fighter Command Headquarters before serving at 1695 Bomber Defence Training Flight but took a posting back to 427 Squadron on 13th November 1944 having made his way up through the ranks to Squadron Leader. He was sadly killed on 5th January 1945 when Halifax NR257 was hit by flak and possibly also damaged by a night fighter and it crashed at Dudensen, Germany. S/Ldr Crew was killed, he was aged twenty five and is buried at Hannover War Cemetery.
Halifax DK146 was built to contract ACFT/891/C4 by Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd. at Stockport and was flown to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington on 26th March 1943. It was taken on charge by 427 Squadron at Leeming on 18th May 1943. As a result of battle damage on 30th May 1943, 23rd June 1943 and 6th September 1943 Cat.A/FB damage assessments were made each time and repairs on site carried out each time. On 23rd September 1943 the port inner engine caught fire on Ops to Hannover and while the crew made a safe landing Cat.A/FB again was the damage assessment. The aircraft was again repaired on site. On 27th December 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit at Dishforth. On 24th February 1944 it crashed near Rainton, Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 7th March 1944.