On the night of 25th / 26th June 1943 the crew of this 10 Squadron aircraft took off from Melbourne airfield at 23.19hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Geksenkirchen. They bombed the target area at 01.50hrs from 20,000 feet on the PFF target markers but while over the target area the aircraft received minor flak damage to the port fuselage and nose of the aircraft but despite the damage the crew managed to make the return to base and landed at Melbourne at 04.32hrs. Most (if not all) of this crew were later posted to 624 Squadron for Special Duties.
Pilot - Sgt George Francis Regan RAAF (413251).
Navigator - Sgt James Carmichael Mentiply RAFVR (968197).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt J W Fearn.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Neville L A Springate RAFVR.
Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Frost RAFVR (1475544).
Flight Engineer - Sgt D R Binch.
Air Gunner - Sgt W Lynch.
Halifax DT720 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Rufforth on 30th December 1942. It carried the squadron code "NP-P". As a result of damage sustained following it's first operational flight on 30th January 1943 minor Cat.Ac/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Rufforth. The aircraft was returned to 158 Squadron charge on 10th February 1943 and then then moved to Lissett with them on 28th February 1943. DT720 next flew operationally on 3rd March 1943 but as "NP-Y". The aircraft was then transferred to 10 Squadron at Melbourne on 12th April 1943 and was coded "ZA-L", it first flew operationally with 10 Squadron on 23rd May 1943. On 12th June and also 26th June 1942 it sustained flak damage with minor Cat.A/FB resulting each time, followed by a repair on site both times at Melbourne. The aircraft was transferred to 466 Squadron on 20th September 1943 but it did not fly operationally with them. On paper the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall on 12th March 1944. It served there until failing a major inspection on 13th November 1944 that saw it being struck off charge.
George Regan was later posted to 624 Squadron and was awarded the DFC Gazetted on 25th August 1944.
James Mentiply received a commission in May 1944. He was killed on 14th November 1944 while serving with 216 Squadron and is buried in Choloy War Cemetery.
Harold Frost was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th July 1943. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation in December 1943. He was killed serving with 214 Squadron on 17th March 1945 and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
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