Halifax DT513 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
This aircraft took off from Snaith at 23.32hrs on 12th June 1943 to undertake an operational flight to bomb Bochum. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target area at 01.36hrs and received damage to the port wing and to the starboard side of the airframe. The crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Snaith in the early hours of 13th June 1943 at 04.42hrs.
Pilot - P/O William Thomas Irwin RAFVR (127920), of Craigavad, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Navigator - P/O James Jeremiah Dawkins RAFVR (132775), of Cupernham, Hampshire.
Bomb Aimer - P/O Reginald Thomas Watkinson RAFVR (131969), of Wallasey, Cheshire.
Wireless Operator - Sgt James Cumming Lang RCAF, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt William Joshua Watson RAFVR (1109028).
Air Gunner - Sgt John Dixon RAFVR (1338080), of West Ealing, Middlesex.
Air Gunner - Sgt James Frederick Gordon RAFVR (1564384), of Chryston, Lanarkshire
On the night of 3rd / 4th October 1943 this crew (apart from Sgt Lang) were flying Halifax HR728 on ops to Kassel when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the loss of the whole crew. Their graves are now in Rheinberg War Cemetery.
The wireless operator Sgt Lang had already flown with 50 Squadron in August to October 1942 and then instructed at 15 OTU before posting to 51 Squadron in February 1942. He received his commission during the Summer of 1943 and was posted to 23 OTU on 12th October 1943 to instruct. Before leaving the RCAF in 1946 he served with 431 Squadron and 405 Squadron. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 16th November 1943.