Halifax DT730 at Snaith airfield.
At 18.29hrs on 3rd March 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft took off from Snaith airfield to carry out an operational flight to bomb Hamburg. They made a successful drop of their bomb load and landed at Snaith at 23.48hrs but on landing the undercarriage collapsed towards the end of the landing run.
Pilot - Sgt John Edward McCrea RAFVR (1385745),
Navigator - F/O Daniel Graham Spencer RAFVR (121737),
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Clement Barnett Ings RAFVR (1437113),
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Edwin Conway Simpson RAFVR (1076981),
Flight Engineer - Sgt James Alderdice RAFVR (1095982),
Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred George East RAFVR (924414).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alec William Davis RAFVR (1231259).
Sgt James Alderdice was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 1st October 1943 and a joint citation reads.. "In air operations, these airmen have displayed great courage and fortitude setting an example of the highest order."
Halifax DT730 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was allotted to 51 Squadron at Snaith on 7th January 1943, then taken on charge by them two days later. It was first used operationally by them on 3rd February 1943. As a result of the damage sustained on 3rd March 1943 the aircraft was assessed as having Cat.Ac/FB damage. A repair on site was carried but this took until 17th June 1943 for it to be made servicable again. When this was done it was not then required by 51 Squadron so was flown to 12 MU on 26th June 1943. On 3rd August 1943 it was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Elvington. It first appears in use operationally by 77 Squadron on 22nd August 1943 and seems to have replaced Halifax BB284 as "KN-B". On 4th December 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Leipzig. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and the aircraft was struck off charge on 8th December 1943.
Sgt East was posted to 51 Squadron from 158 Squadron on 12th February 1943 but his time with 51 Squadron was brief as the squadron ORB states that he was posted away to 145 Squadron on 26th March 1943 (although this was a fighter unit and he was an air gunner which seems strange). He was then posted back to 51 Squadron and was made a PoW in May 1943.
On the night of 16th / 17th April 1943 McCrea, Alderdice, Spencer, Ings, Simpson, and Davis were flying an operational flight to bomb Plzen in Halifax DT690, outbound the aircraft was damaged by a night fighter but bombed an alternative target, on the return flight the aircraft was then badly damaged by flak and the crew abandoned the aircarft over France. Davis, Spencer and Ings were eventually captured and became prisoners of war. McCrea, Alderdice and Jones would evade capture and return to the UK later in 1943.
John McCrea was granted a commission on 11th March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). While on the run in France he was promoted on paper to F/O on 11th September 1943. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 5th November 1943, the citation was similar to Alderdice and Jones' and reads.." In air operations, this officer has displayed courage, skill and fortitude of a high order". He was later promoted to F/Lt on 11th March 1945. Postwar he remained in the RAFVR and would eventually retire on the grounds of medical unfitness for Air Force service on 22nd June 1969.
After his release from captivity Sgt Simpson resumed his RAF career, sadly on 26th September 1949 he was flying with 61 Squadron in Lincoln RF407 on a training flight when the aircraft collided with another Lincoln from the same unit and crashed near Staythorpe, Nottinghamshire. All fourteen men in both aircraft were killed. Sig1 Simpson was twenty eight years old and is buried in Waddington Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Daniel Spencer received a commission on 16th May 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and was later promoted to F/O on 16th November 1942 and to F/Lt on 16th May 1944. He remained in the RAFVR until 8th February 1956 when he relinquished his commission.
Clement Ings received a commission on 11th March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(143654) and was promoted to F/O on 11th September 1943 and to F/Lt on 11th March 1945. He remained in the RAFVR (General Duties Branch) until reliquishing his commission on 30th November 1948 on appointment to the reconstituted RAFVR until resigning his commission on 23rd June 1952.