Halifax DT784 damaged by flak, returned to Melbourne airfield.

On the night of 11th / 12th June 1943 the crew of this 10 Squadron aircraft took off from Melbourne airfield at 23.30hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf. They bombed the target area at 01.57hrs from 18,000 feet on the PFF target markers but while over the target area the aircraft received minor flak damage to the port outer engine, the starboard wing and also the perspex in the rear turret was smashed. Despite the damage the crew managed to make the return to base and landed at Melbourne at 04.40hrs. This was one of six 10 Squadron Halifaxes damaged on this night.

Pilot - Sgt Robert Mitchell Pinkerton RAFVR (1345595).

Navigator - Sgt Frederick Thomas Nuttall RAFVR (1600601).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt J W Fearn.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Roger Gardner RAFVR (1380415).

Air Gunner - Sgt Timothy Leo MacAskill RCAF (R/104425).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Frank Holmes RAFVR (1139371).

Air Gunner - Sgt James Franklin Karl Crowe RCAF (R/85550).

Roger Gardner was flying with 10 Squadron in Halifax LV867 on 22nd / 23rd April 1944 on Ops to Dusseldorf with a different crew. He survived and was able to evade capture. He was later awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 6th March 1945.

On 22nd / 23rd June 1943 Pickerton, Nuttall, Holmes, Waring, Crowe and MacAskill were flying 10 Squadron Halifax BB324 on Ops to Mulheim when the aircraft was lost off Holland. The bodies of some of the crew were recovered and they lie at either the New Eastern Cemetery in Amsterdam or at Noordwijk General Cemetery while Sgt Pinkerton, Sgt Waring and F/Sgt MacAskill are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Halifax DT784 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Melbourne on 3rd February 1943. As a result of flak damage sustained on 27th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. The aircraft was further damaged by flak on the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 that saw Cat.A/FB damage be the damage assessment. It was again repaired on site. On the night of 11th / 12th June 1943 it was again slightly damaged by flak and Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment. Again it was repaired on site. On 4th July 1943 it failed to return from Ops to Cologne that saw two of the crew killed while five became PoWs. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 31st August 1943 having clocked up a total of 229 flying hours.

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