In the early hours of 1st May 1943 this 10 Squadron aircraft left Melbourne airfield at 00.20hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Essen. The aircraft bombed the target area at 02.50hrs from 18,000 feet through thick cloud cover, around the of releasing their bomb load the aircraft received flak damage which made a hole in the port side of the pilot's cockpit glazing. No injuries resulted and the crew were able to bring the aircraft back to base and landed at Melbourne at 05.05hrs.
Pilot - F/Sgt George Alexander Vinish RCAF.
Navigator - F/O Edward Ernest Kitchen RAFVR (116202).
Bomb Aimer - F/Lt Cyril George Minchinton RAFVR (84895).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Andrew MacDonald Black RAFVR (1369216).
Air Gunner - Sgt Richard Eric Heap RAF (649556).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alan John Crouch RAFVR (1444440).
Air Gunner - Sgt Edward Hayes Rafferty RAAF (408228).
Halifax DT789 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 10 Squadron on 2nd February 1943. As a result of flak damage on both 12th March 1943 and later on 1st May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment each time and a repair on site was made each time. On 24th May 1943 it failed to return from an operational flight to Dortmund which saw it's then crew of seven being killed. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork. It was struck off charge on 29th May 1943.
George Vinish was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1920. He was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th July 1943. The citation also mentions the incident above on 12th March 1943 and reads.. "Throughout his tour of operational duty Pilot Officer Vinish has been an outstanding captain of aircraft. In March 1943, while on a sortie to Essen, he completed his mission successfully though his tail gunner seriously wounded and one engine in his aircraft was unserviceable. On another occasion he again bombed Essen effectively, although his windscreen had been shattered and fragments blown into his face. Pilot Officer Vinish has a splendid record and it is largely due to his resolution and enthusiasm that his crew has achieved many success."
Edward Kitchen received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 31st January 1942 and rose to F/O on probation on 1st October 1942. He was also awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th July 1943. He was later promoted to F/Lt on 31st January 1944 and remained in the RAF until 1954.
Edward Rafferty was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th October 1943.
Alan Crouch was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th July 1943. He received a commission on 21st July 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation and rose to F/O six months later. He was killed on 13th May 1944 while flying a second tour with 76 Squadron. He is buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium.
Andrew Black was also awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. He received a commission on 21st January 1944 and rose to F/O six months later and to F/Lt on 21st January 1946.
Cyril Minchinton received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 23rd August 1940 and was later graded as P/O on probation on 23rd September 1940 and confirmed as P/O on 23rd August 1941. He was promoted to F/O on 23rd September 1941 and F/Lt on 23rd September 1942. For service with 10 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. Post-war he remained in the RAF and was awarded the MBE, Gazetted on 2nd January 1950. He retired from RAF service on 23rd August 1962.
Richard Heap was also 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 on 28th January 1944 and rose to F/O six months later. By March 1945 he was back flying with 10 Squadron and on 6th March 1945 he was killed and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
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