Wellington HE154 damaged by flak, landed at Leconfield.
On 20th January 1943 this 466 Squadron aircraft was undertaking a daylight raid to bomb Emden Docks and left Leconfield at 11.12hrs. The aircraft was over the target at 13.04hrs but was hit by flak in the tail, the crew bombed after making a second run on the target and returned to base, landing safely at 15.32hrs at Leconfield. The aircraft's identity quoted in the ORB is HE514, however 466 Squadron had been issued other aircraft in the "HE15.." series and HE154 is the probable identity for the aircraft. This was the first time HE154 would have been used operationally.
Pilot - P/O Sidney Midgley Wood RAFVR (143087), of Porthill, Staffordshire.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt John Geoffrey Chalmers RAFVR (1321621), of Hackney, London.
Navigator - Sgt Arthur Clifford Kneeshaw RAFVR (1265237), of Newsome, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Douglas Pennycord RAFVR (1187020), of Selsey, Sussex.
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt Leo Ralph Crowe RCAF (R/107739), of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Wellington HE154 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 26th November 1942, before moving with the unit to Leconfield on 27th December 1942. As a result of the damage on 30th January 1943 minor Cat.A/FB resulted and it was repaired on site. It's AM Form 78 states that it sustained some form of damage in a flying accident on 17th April 1943 to Cat.Ac/FA status which saw it repaired on site and returned to 466 Squadron on 8th May 1943. On 12th June 1943 when it failed to return from an operational flight to Dusseldorf with all on board being killed.
The aircraft was struck off charge on 1st July 1943.
All of the airmen named above were orginal members of 466 Squadron and had been posted in during 0ctober 1942. All failed to return from Ops to Duisburg on the night of 8th / 9th April 1943 in Wellington HE155. No trace of the aircraft or the crew was ever found and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. P/O Wood was 21, Sgt Chalmers was 21, WO2 Crowe was 23, P/O Kneeshaw (142881) was 21, Sgt Pennycord was 22.
Sidney Wood receieved a commission on 19th January 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) although he is listed in 466 Squadron on the operational flight listed above as being Sgt (1232291).
Arthur Kneeshaw received a commission on 2nd March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency).
Leo Crowe was born on 12th September 1919 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to George and Malvina Crowe. His parents had moved from Hamilton, Ontario to a homestead near Marcelin, Saskatchewan in 1903. After attending school he began working as a store clerk. In 1941 he enlisted into the army in April 1941 and he and his parents were living in near Saskatoon at the time but his father was an unemployed carpenter. He then transferred/enlisted into the RCAF in Regina two months later on 16th June 1941 wanting to become either a pilot or navigator though he ended up training as an air gunner and qualified in February 1942. When he died his father George Crowe is listed as living in Vancouver where he had probably taken up employment.