On the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 the crew of this 10 Squadron aircraft took off from Melbourne airfield at 23.14hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Essen.
The crew bombed the target area from 19,000 feet at 01.13hrs but received minor flak damage to the bomb door whilst over the target area. Despite the damage the crew managed to make the return flight to Melbourne and landed there at 03.37hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Jack Watson RAFVR (1239046).
Navigator - Sgt Henry Charles William Nash RAFVR (1377535).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt William John McKay RAFVR (1391576).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt William George Brown RAFVR (1384984).
Air Gunner - Sgt Jack Edwin Lewis RCAF (R/139045).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Gerald Wilfred Rockwood RAF (339812).
Air Gunner - Sgt Jack Sutcliffe RAFVR (1324374).
On 19th / 20th June 1943 all of the above were flying 10 Squadron Halifax JD109 on Ops to Le Creusot when the aircraft crashed in France. All were killed and are buried at Bretteville Sur Laize Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Halifax DT541 was to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge as new by 76 Squadron at Middleton St. George on 1st October 1942. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that on the night of 16th / 17th January 1943 it sustained unspecified Cat.B/FB damage, the 76 Squadron orb makes no mention of any damage and there is no AM Form 1180 that could relate to this aircraft being damaged in a flying accident; add to that DT541 is listed as being flown on Ops on the night of 17th / 18th January 1943 so I doubt this damage assessment relates to DT541 at all. The AM Form 78 states this damage was the downgraded to Re.Cat.Ac and it was repaired on site and once repairs were complete it was returned to 76 Squadron on 4th February 1943 who had since moved to Linton on Ouse. On 28th February 1943 the aircraft was flown to English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury for modifications and was returned to 76 Squadron on 20th March 1943 once complete. On 21st April 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 10 Squadron at Melbourne. It sustained minor Cat.A/FB battle damage on 28th May 1943 and 12th June 1943 that saw repairs on site made each time. On 14th August 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. During a training flight on 24th November 1943 the aircraft swung on take off from Riccall airfield which saw the aircraft badly damaged when the undercarriage collapsed and a fire developed. Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 30th November 1943.
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