On the night of 23rd / 24th August 1943 this 76 Squadron aircraft had been used for an operational flight to attack Berlin and had taken off at 20.11hrs. On their return to Holme on Spalding Moor at 03.20hrs the pilot realised that he would need to fly an overshoot of the airfield and go around again. Unfortunately he raised the flaps accidentally which caused the aircraft to sink and it crashed. Two of the crew sustained injuries.
Pilot - P/O Wilfred Eric Elder DFM RNZAF (NZ416101).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Walter Berry RAFVR (1080826).
Navigator - P/O Alistair McKenzie Wood RAFVR (149701).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt T Dunn. Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt P B Clarke RAFVR (Possibly 1381938).
Air Gunner - Sgt C H Carter (probably Charles Henry Carter RAFVR (1220066).
Air Gunner - Sgt Wilkie William Alexander Wanless RCAF (R/130515).
On 21st June 1943 Elder, Wood, Clarke and Berry were flying together in Halifax DK188 on Ops to Krefeld when the aircraft suffered from one of the engines failing outbound. The pilot, Wilfred Elder was later awarded the DFM for his actions on this night. The citation tells the story, Gazetted on 16th July 1943, the citation reads.."This airman was the captain and pilot of an aircraft which was detailed to attack Krefeld one night in June 1943. On the outward flight, one engine of the bomber became unserviceable but, despite this, Flight Sergeant Elder continued to the target and pressed home a determined attack, afterwards flying the aircraft back to base. This airman displayed great skill and tenacity throughout, setting an inspiring example."
On 27th / 28th July 1943 Elder, Berry, Wood and Clarke were again flying together in Halifax DK188 on an operational flight to bomb Hamburg when the aircraft was damaged by night-fighters, on their return to England they force landed in Norfolk. One member of their then crew died after an attack by the enemy aircraft after being struck by cannon fire in the mid upper turret, the flight engineer, Sgt Berry, then went to occupy the turret and returned fire during another attack but was himself wounded. The regular mid upper gunner Sgt Arthur Smith RAFVR (1694468) was buried by his family in Drighlington Cemetery, Leeds (Not Morley as quoted in Bill Chorley's 1943 Bomber Command Losses book and now elsewhere on the internet).
As stated above, Sgt Walter Berry was awarded the DFM for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1943 and was later Mentioned in Despatches, Gazetted on 14th January 1944. After serving with 76 Squadron he was posted to 426 Squadron. On 12th / 13th May 1944 he was flying as Flight Engineer in Halifax LK883 when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over Belgium while undertaking Ops to Leuven. Four of the crew died but three including him managed to evade capture while the pilot ended the war a PoW. Walter Berry's story is well documented on "www.evasioncomete.org/fberrywp.html" being helped by the famous Anne Brusselmans. He evaded capture and managed to return home to his native Belfast.
Wilfred Elder was awarded the DFC for further service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1943.
Alistair Wood received a commission to the rank of P/O on 27th June 1943 and was awarded the DFC for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1943. He later rose to F/O on 27th December 1943 and F/Lt on 27th June 1945. He served with 105 Squadron after his time with 76 Squadron and was awarded the Bar to the DFC with them, Gazetted on 6th November 1945.
If the Sgt C H Carter was Charles Henry Carter then he was granted a commission in the RAF to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 8th May 1943 but this was not printed in the London Gazette until 31st August 1943. He was later graded as P/O on probation on 3rd July 1943 and promoted to F/O on a currently unknown date. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1945 but resigned his commission on the grounds of medical unfitness on 1st November 1945. Without knowing exactly why he received an MiD it would suggest that he was injured doing something for which was deemed worthy of the award but this then meant his injuries prevented him from continuing his RAF service.
A Sgt P B Clarke RAFVR (1381938) was also Mentioned in Despaches on 14th January 1944, the same date as Sgt C H Carter.
Wilkie Wanless was born 28th September 1917 at Wainwright, Alberta, Canada and enlisted for RCAF service in Edmonton in August 1941. After basic training he was posted to the UK where he completed his training with 20 OTU and 1658 HCU. He was posted to 76 Squadron, who were then at Linton on Ouse, in January 1943 but appears to have sustained injuries or an illness in May 1943 as he is listed on "www.torontoaircrew.com" as being in the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton from May to July 1943. When he returned to 76 Squadron in July 1943 they were now at Holme on Spalding Moor. He was still serving with 76 Squadron on 3rd October 1943 when he was flying in Halifax DK201 on Ops to Kassel, the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter. Two of his then crew died but he was one of a number who became PoWs. He was awarded a Mention in Despatches on 14th January 1944, Hugh Halliday's RCAF awards research states this was for service with 20 OTU which must have been much earlier in the war while he was training there. Sgt Clarke in the 76 Squadron crew listed above was also Mentioned in Despatches on the same date. Something involving them must have occurred. Wilkie Wanless died in January 2010 in Calgary.
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