On the night of 5th / 6th September 1943 the crew of this 427 Squadron aircraft took off from Leeming airfield at 19.30hrs for an operational flight to bomb Mannheim. During the flight the aircraft received flak damage to the bomb doors and a fuel tank but despite this it did not prevent the crew making a safe return to Leeming landing at 03.30hrs.
Pilot - P/O David Osborne Olsvik RCAF (J/18387)
Navigator - Sgt James Patrick McKenzie RCAF (R/141010).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Reginald Lloyd Warren RCAF (R/142819).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt David Herman Jonasson RCAF (R/117441).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Robert Tobin RCAF (R/90026).
Air Gunner - Sgt Joseph Alphonse Gaston Taillon RCAF (R/55608).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Joseph Pierre Fernand Richards RCAF (R/99395)
Second Pilot - Sgt Robert Edward Dresser RCAF (R/58262).
Robert Dresser was flying as second pilot on this night for operational experience prior to beginning operational flying as captain of his own aircraft and crew. The following night he was again flying as a second pilot but with a different crew in Halifax LK628 on Ops to Munich when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter. He was killed and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
On the night of 19th / 20th February 1944 everyone else were flying together in Halifax LV829 on Ops to Leipzig when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the loss of the whole crew. They are buried in Berlin 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.
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