Wellington HE150 damaged by flak, returned to Leconfield airfield.
On the night of 25th / 26th May 1943 the crew of this 466 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf and took off from Leconfield airfield at 23.19hrs. They dropped their bombs on the target area at 01.41hrs while flying at 17,000ft but the aircraft was hit and damaged by flak while in the target area. They were able to make a safe return to Leconfield and land at 03.59hrs.
Pilot - F/O Frank MacKelden RAFVR (125698).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Trevor Charles Herbert RAFVR (1575212).
Navigator - F/O Stephen Roxburgh RAFVR (125572).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Edward Maurice Gold RAFVR (146830).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander George Rawlins RAFVR (1219018).
Edward Gold received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) (146830) on 15th May 1943 but notification of this was only printed in the London Gazette after his death on 20th July 1943.
Frank Mackeldon received a commission on 20th May 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation, rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 20th November 1942.
Stephen Roxburgh received a commission on 23rd May 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation, rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 23rd November 1942.
On the night of 11th / 12th June 1943 all of the above were flying in the repaired Wellington HE150 with a second pilot on Ops to bomb Dusseldorf again, the aircraft was struck by flak over Germany and exploded in the air with the loss of the whole crew. The crew were initially buried locally at Munchen-Gladbach but were later re-interred in Rheinberg War Cemetery after the War. Sgt Herbert's body was either not recovered or probably more likely was not identified and was buried as such and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt's Herbert and Rawlins were both aged 21, MacKelden was 28 and Gold was 32 years old.
Wellington HE150 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in November 1942. It was taken on charge by 466 Squadron at Driffield on 28th November 1942 and they moved to Leconfield on 27th December 1942. As a result of battle damage sustained on 17th February 1943 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. Once repaired it was returned to 466 Squadron on 8th May 1943. On 26th May 1943 minor Cat.Ac/FB flak damage resulted and a repair on site was made locally. The aircraft was lost on 12th June 1943 on Ops to Dusseldorf, Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork. It's then crew were all killed. The aircraft was struck off charge on 1st July 1943.