Halifax DK259 damaged by flak, returned to Tholthorpe airfield.

On the night of 5th / 6th September 1943 the crew of this 434 Squadron aircraft took off from Tholthorpe airfield at 19.30hrs for an operational flight to bomb Mannheim. During the flight the aircraft was slightly damaged in the port wing with one of the fuel tanks being holed. The crew managed to make a safe return to base, landing at Tholthorpe in the early hours.

Pilot - S/Ldr William Nairne Thomson (J/3524).

Navigator - Sgt Russell Frederick Purdy RCAF (R/107127).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Ronald William Miller RCAF (R/153026).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Robert Frederick Bellingham RAFVR (156785).

Air Gunner - Sgt Ernest John Cecil Plouffe RCAF (R/182077).

Air Gunner - Sgt Clarence Cecil Reynolds RCAF (R/104432).

Flight Engineer - Sgt J Malcolm RAF (973272).

On the night of 22nd / 23rd October 1943 this crew were flying Halifax LK663 on Ops to Kassel when the aircraft was badly damaged, three of the crew managed to bale out before it crashed in Germany. Purdy, Malcolm and Bellingham became PoWs but the other four were killed and are now buried in Hannover War Cemetery. For further details about this incident and the crew please visit Alan Soderstrom's superb 434 Squadron website at "www.rcaf434squadron.com".

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