Halifax DT666 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
At 19.23hrs on 12th March 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft took off from Snaith airfield to carry out an opertional flight to bomb Essen. While over the target area the aircraft was hit by flak and received damage in several places after being coned by several searchlights, the pilot took evasive action diving from 19,000 to 13,000 feet to escape the beams. The crew were able to return to Snaith airfield and land safely at 00.12hrs on 13th March 1943.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Fred Hutchinson Haly RAFVR (1318907).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Kenneth George Marks RAF (577633).
Navigator - Sgt Arthur Wright RAFVR (1526625).
Air Bomber - Sgt Charles Leonard Bramfitt RAFVR (1055909).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Peter Woods RAFVR (966365).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard Stanley Baldwin RAFVR (1396686).
Air Gunner - Sgt Cecil James Johnston RAAF (411244).
Halifax DT666 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was delivered to 12 M.U. at Kirkbride on 28th November 1942. The aircraft was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Elvington on 20th December 1942 and carried the squadron code "KN-F". On 14th January 1943 it collided with a vehicle parked on the side of the perimeter track and sustained minor Cat.A/FA damage. It was then transferred to 51 Squadron at Snaith on 4th March 1943 where it carried the squadron code "MH-T". As a result of battle damage sustained on the night of 12th / 13th March 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site at Snaith. The aircraft then crashed near Drax on 4th April 1943 on return from an operational flight to Essen. Three of the seven man crew were killed. Cat.E2/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was written off having clocked up 102 flying hours.
Edward Haly receieved a commission on 21st March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was later awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 21st September 1943. On 17th September 1944 he was flying in Halifax BB360 and was probably instructing with 1652 HCU rather than training. BB360 crashed near Angram, York on a training flight and all nine airmen on board were killed. He was twenty three years old and is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. CWGC list him as being the son of John and Edith Marie Haly and the husband of Daphne Pauline Haly, of Wokingham, Berkshire. But with him being originally from British Guiana.
Leonard Baldwin was later posted to 97 PFF Squadron. On 25th August 1944 he was flying Lancaster PB398 on Ops to Darmstadt when the aircraft failed to return to base. All but one of the crew of PB398 were killed and F/Sgt Baldwin is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, he was twenty one years old.
Sgt Charles Bramfitt received a commission on 4th December 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (188031) and received promotion to F/O (war subs) on 4th June 1945.
Sgt Kenneth Marks he received a commission on 12th September 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) (53270). He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 12th March 1944 and F/Lt (war subs) on 12th September 1945. Post-War he remained in the RAF and later transferred into the Secretarial Branch. He finally reliquished his commission of S/Ldr on 30th June 1942.
Arthur Wright received a commission on 8th May 1943 (146787) to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and was promoted to F/O on 8th November 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 8th May 1945.
Sgt Cecil Johnston was born on 22nd November 1917 in Alstonville, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 7th December 1943.
F/Sgt Peter Woods was later awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th May 1943. It was a busy month for him as he received a commission two weeks later on 28th May 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(148095). He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 28th November 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 28th May 1945. Post-War he remained in the RAFVR and transferred to the reserve on 28th December 1953. On 6th December 1954 he was appointed to a commission to F/O in the RAF Reserve of Officers but nothing more is known of his service after this date.