On the night of 4th / 5th May 1943 this 428 Squadron aircraft took off from Dalton airfield at 22.41hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Dortmund. During the flight the aircraft appears to have been slightly damaged by flak, the damage was very minor and the crew were able to make a safe return to England, landing safely at 03.46hrs, probably at base of Dalton airfield. The aircraft was quickly repaired as it was used again a couple of days later by 428 Squadron and was then lost on Ops by the end of the month.
Pilot - WO A Harrison RCAF (R/758788).
Navigator - Sgt Neil MacDougall Bush RCAF (R/111498).
Air Bomber - Sgt A R? Brock RCAF (R/105657).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt E F? Freeman RAFVR (1271015).
Air Gunner - Sgt Geoffrey John North RAFVR (915800).
Geoffrey North was later granted a commission, he was posted to 76 Squadron and awarded the DFC for service on 19th September 1944. By 21st / 2nd February 1945 he was serving with 35 Squadron PFF and flying in Lancaster ME367 when the aircraft was attacked and badly damaged by a night fighter. He baled out and became a PoW. He died in 2014.
Wellington HE319 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 428 Squadron at Dalton on 15th April 1943. As a result of the damage sustained on 5th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Dalton. On 12th May 1943 while circling to gain height after taking off for Ops to Duisberg the pilot's escape hatch blew open, in attempting to close it the handle broke off. The crew immediately landed without further incident. It was repaired and used operationally the following night. Cat.A/FA damage would have been as serious as the damage got if indeed it was logged. On 15th May 1943 the aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage but how this occurred is not yet known. The aircraft was repaired on site by a team from Vickers from Weybridge and was returned to 428 Squadron on 21st May 1943. On 30th May 1943 it failed to return from Ops to Wuppertal that saw its then crew of five killed. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork.
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