On the night of 25th / 26th May 1943 this 426 Squadron aircraft took off from Dishforth airfield at 23.23hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf.
The aircraft was hit by flak over the target area while flying at 16,000 feet at 01.43hrs. The crew later reported 8/10th cloud over the target
which effected visibility but the crew dropped their bomb load on scattered PFF target markers. Despite damage to the undercarriage the crew were able to make a
safe return to Yorkshire and land safely at base of Dishforth at 04.56hrs on 26th May 1943. P/O McKay was flying as a second pilot on this night almost certainly
for operational experience prior to beginning operational flying with his own crew.
Pilot - P/O Wilfred Lawrence Shaw RCAF (J/13021).
Second Pilot - P/O Donald Hugh McKay RCAF (J/22806).
Navigator - P/O Edward George Farr RAFVR (149148).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Abraham Joseph Gibson RCAF (J/21735).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Williams RCAF (R/92233).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Gordon Emanuel Burnett RCAF (R/134823).
All of the above apart from Donald McKay were flying Lancaster DS676 on Ops to Berlin on 24th August 1943 when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter. All were killed and are buried in Berlin War Cemetery. Edward Farr had received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th April 1943.
Donald McKay was killed on 1st September 1943 flying Lancaster DS677 on Ops to Berlin. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was twenty one years old.
Wellington HE431 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was delivered to 38 M.U. at Llandow on 29th December 1942. The aircraft was initially taken on charge by 426 Squadron at Dishforth on 16th March 1943. As a result of flak damage on 26th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 27th June 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 82 O.T.U. at Ossington. On 28th December 1943 the aircraft was being flown on a Nickel operational flight when it was hit by flak. The crew managed to get the aircraft back to Finmere but it crashed and was badly damaged. Cat.E2/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.
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