Wellington HE396 damaged by enemy aircraft, landed at Burn airfield.
On the evening of 23rd / 24th May 1943 this 431 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Dortmund and took off from Burn airfield at 22.35hrs. The crew released their bomb load from 18,000 feet over the target area but the aircraft was attacked by an enemy aircraft and the bomb aimer sustained injuries in the action. The crew were able to bring the aircraft back to base and belly landed at Burn at 04.25hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Phillip Davis RAFVR (1331922).
Navigator - Sgt Osmonde Edward Reece Davies RAFVR (1095397).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Donald McConvell RAFVR (1322079). Slightly injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Walter Cant RAFVR (1266934).
Air Gunner - Sgt Brian Clark RAFVR (1004554).
The other surviving members of the 431 Squadron crew listed above all received commissions and survived the War.
Hugh Halliday's fantastic RCAF awards research has found that the first part of Phillip Davis' operational Tour with 431 Squadron began on 25th February 1943 and ended on 12th July 1943 but was halted on 24th May 1943 until 3rd July 1943 after he had sustained injuries in the crash landing back at base on 24th May 1943 in this incident recorded above. He later converted to flying the Halifax type and then flew the last part of his Tour from 3rd October 1943 to 7th March 1944. He was awarded the DFC for service with 431 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944.
Brian Clark was later posted to 425 Squadron and was killed on 5th August 1944 flying in Halifax LL594 attacking a flying bomb site in France. He was twenty three years old and is buried in Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Wellington HE396 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was flown to 23 MU at Aldergrove on 17th November 1942. The aircraft was initially taken on charge by 431 Squadron on 9th December 1942 at Burn. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that on 15th April 1943 it received Cat.B/FB damage on an operational flight to Stuttgart, this damage assessment was then reduced to Re.Cat.Ac on 16th April 1943 and it was repaired on site by a team from Vickers, Weybridge. The 431 Squadron orb unfortunately lists all their aircraft that sustained damage on this night and does not mention HE396 being one of them but HE396 was not used operationally in the days that followed so probably was damaged. It was returned to 431 Squadron charge after repair in early May 1943. On 24th May 1943 it was slightly damaged by enemy action that saw an initial Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment though, on 30th May 1943 this was upgraded to Re.Cat.B damage and was taken to Brooklands Aviation Ltd. at Sywell for a repair in works. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states the aircraft was awaiting collection on 3rd September 1943. On 16th September 1943 the aircraft was flown to 23 MU at Aldergrove. On 30th September 1943 it was taken on charge by 6 (C) O.T.U. at Silloth. On 13th November 1943 it required a repair on site by a team from Vickers, Weybridge and was returned to 6 (C) O.T.U. on 23rd December 1943. On 11th January 1944 it sustained unspecified Cat.Ac/FA damage which again was repaired on site by Vickers, Weybridge, with the repair commencing on 14th January 1944 and was returned to the unit on 26th February 1944. On 18th May 1944 it received unspecified Cat.Ac/FA damage which again was repaired by Vickers, Weybridge with the aircraft being returned to the unit on 25th June 1944. On 20th July 1944 it was transferred to 12 (O)F.I.S. at St. Angelo with this unit being re-designated C.C.F.I.S. on 23rd February 1945. On 9th June 1945 the aircraft moved with the unit to Turnberry. On 29th October 1945 the unit was then re-designated C.C.I.S. and on 12th April 1946 it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington. On 14th November 1947 the aircraft is listed as being with the Vickers arm of 8 MU at Little Rissington and on 27th November 1947 it was declared Cat.B so was taken to Vickers at Little Rissington for a repair in works. On 30th September 1948 it was awaiting collection. On 8th November 1948 it was flown to 12 MU at Kirkbride. The end came on 10th April 1951 when it was sold for scrap to Enfield Rolling Mills Ltd. A real survivor of an aircraft.