On the evening of 12th March 1943 this 10 Squadron aircraft left Melbourne airfield at around 19.24hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Essen. The aircraft received minor flak damage to the one of the fuel tanks during the course of the evening but a safe return to Melbourne was made, landing at 23.38hrs. On 17th April 1943 this aircraft crashed on return from Ops with six of the seven crew flying it.
Pilot - F/Lt Joseph Richard Wood RAF (43373).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Frederick William Beare RAFVR (160081)
Navigator - P/O Kenneth Frank Whynes RAFVR (130157).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Cyril George Stepney RAFVR (127278).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Charles Lloyds Walshaw RAFVR (143113).
Air Gunner - Sgt K Turner.
Air Gunner - Sgt Frank Noel Prebble RCAF.
Halifax DT791 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 4th February 1943. As a result of flak damage on both 12th March 1943 and then on 4th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage each time which saw it repaired on site each time. On 17th April 1943 it crashed near Lewis, Sussex on return from an operational flight to Plzen, all the crew were injured. The damage was assessed as being Cat.E2/FB Burnt and it was written off.
Richard Wood received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st April 1940 and then rose to F/O on 1st April 1941 and to F/Lt on 1st April 1942. For service with 10 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th October 1943. He was later awarded the Bar to the DFC for a further Tour with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 21st April 1944. He remained in the RAF until 28th June 1958.
Charles Walshaw received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th March 1943 and rose to F/O on 6th September 1943. For service with 10 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 16th November 1945. He rose to F/Lt on 6th March 1945 and was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1946. He remained in the RAF until 30th June 1954.
Frederick Beare was awarded the DFM for service with 614 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th August 1944.
Kenneth Whynes received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 12th October 1942, he rose to F/O on 12th April 1943 and F/Lt on 12th October 1945. He remained in the RAF until at least 1955.
Cyril Stepney received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 20th July 1942 and rose to F/O on 20th February 1943. He was later posted to 35 Squadron but was killed on 18th November 1943 while flying in Halifax HR676 on Ops to Mannheim. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Frank Prebble was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 27th June 1944. The citation for his DFC reads.. "Pilot Officer Prebble has taken part in numerous operations since joining this squadron. His aircraft has been damaged both by anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters. During an attack on Pilsen and Nuremburg his aircraft was twice illuminated by searchlights and damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Later, during the attack by an enemy fighter, Pilot Officer Prebble gave cool and efficient instructions to his captain. The damage sustained was of such a nature that the flight back to the United Kingdom was extremely hazardous and a crash landing became necessary during which Pilot Officer Prebble was injured. Despite this hazardous experience this officer has continued to operate with undiminished ardour."
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