Lancaster ED730 damaged by flak, returned to Breighton airfield.
On 1st May 1943 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Breighton airfield at 00.15hrs. They bombed the pathfinder flares marking the target from 18,000ft at 02,36hrs but the aircraft was badly damaged by flak over the whole target area. Damaged was caused to the starboard inner engine and the rudder trim mechanism was shot away and many holes in the fuselage were found. They were able to make a safe return to Breighton and land there at
04.54hrs.
Pilot - F/O Edward Arthur Hudson DFC RAAF (404506).
? - Sgt D R Jones RAF.
? - Sgt W Young RAF.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Ross Austin RAAF (403682).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Cyril Ashley Rose RAAF (14464).
? - Sgt J F Ward RAAF (411263?)
? - Sgt J A V Mardell RAF.
? - F/O M Lane RAAF.
Edward Hudson was born in Rockhampton on 17th April 1921 and enlisted in Brisbane on 13th September 1940. After completing training in Summer 1941 he had first served operationally with 57 Squadron and for completing a tour was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 11th August 1942. He begun a second Tour with 460 Squadron in April 1943 and was awarded the Bar to DFC for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. The citation for the Bar reads.. "This officer has invariably completed his operational duties with determination and initiative, and his success has been demonstrated by the photographs he has secured." He was the pilot selected to fly Lancaster W4783 back to Australia in 1944 and then to carry out flights around Australia. He remained in the RAAF until 1946 serving as a transport pilot with 38 Squadron and 34 Squadron RAAF. He died in 1980. He was also Mentioned in Despatches on an unknown date.
Cyril Rose was born on 19th February 1917 in Bellingen, New South Wales and enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney. He would later receive his commission. On 31st March 1944 he was serving with 156 Squadron and was killed when Lancaster ND466 was shot down on Ops to Nuremburg. He was twenty seven years old and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
John Austin was born on Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia in December 1919 and enlisted into the RAAF in March 1941 in Brisbane. On arrival in the UK he first served with 156 Squadron before transferring to 460 Squadron. By early 1944 he was back in Australia and served with 13 RAAF Squadron.
Lancaster ED730 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V. Roe and Co Ltd. at Chadderton and was taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 14th March 1943. As a result of the battle damage sustained on 1st May 1943 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from A.V. Roe. The repair was begun on 4th May 1943 and it was returned to 460 Squadron charge on 5th June 1943 but they had moved to Binbrook during the weeks it was being repaired. On 6th September 1943 the aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage which saw it repaired on site and being returned to 460 Squadron charge on 2nd October 1943. On 19th October 1943 it sustained damage in a flying accident that initially saw Cat.B/FA damage be the damage assessment. On 28th October 1942 it was re-assessed as being less seriously damage, Re.Cat.Ac damage was the assessment and it was and repaired by A.V.Roe. On 4th December 1943 it was returned to 460 Squadron charge. On 16th December 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 550 Squadron at Grimsby. On 24th December 1943 the aircraft was involved in a mid-air collision with Lancaster ND327 of 100 Squadron on Ops to Berlin that saw fourteen airmen killed in total when both aircraft crashed near Louth, Lincolnshire. Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage was the damage assessment on the wreckage and it was struck off charge on 31st December 1943. The aircraft had amassed a total of 237 flying hours from new.