Wellington HE197 damaged by flak, returned to Burn airfield.
On the night of 8th / 9th April 1943 the crew of this 431 Squadron aircraft took off from Burn airfield at around 21.35hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Duisberg. The aircraft sustained flak damage to the port side of the cockpit over Germany which made a hole in the fabric. The crew made a safe landing at Burn at 03.04hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Robert Turnbull Barclay RAFVR (1343921).
Navigator - Sgt Kenneth Dix RAFVR (1237232).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Albert Carey Bonner RAFVR (124717).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Michael Charles Jefferies RAFVR (1280562).
Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Sweet RAFVR (1230519).
Albert Bonner received a commission on 22nd June 1942 and rose to F/O six months later.
Robert Barclay remained in the RAFVR at least until 1969.
Kenneth Dix was born in Manchester. After the war he moved to Yorkshire, he worked as a journalist for Yorkshire Post Newspapers and later the Scarborough Evening News becomng chief reporter for the latter. He died in Scarborough in August 2012.
On the night of 25th / 26th May 1943 this crew were flying 431 Squadron Wellington HE990 on Ops to Dusseldorf when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over Holland. Barclay and Dix survived to become PoWs. Bonner, Jefferies and Sweet were killed and are buried at Jonkerbos War Cemetery. Further details of their loss are to be found on "www.aircrewremembered.com/barclay-rt.html".
Wellington HE197 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 431 Squadron at Burn on 9th December 1942. As a result of the damage sustained on 9th April 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 16th July 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 17 O.T.U. at Silverstone. On 24th September 1944 it received minor Cat.Ac/FA damage in a flying accident that saw it repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. On 12th November 1944 it was servicable and was returned to 17 O.T.U. charge. On 25th June 1945 it was flown to 12 M.U. at Kirkbride for long term storage before being struck off charge on 9th June 1947.