Wellington HE505 damaged in the air, returned to Thornaby airfield.
On the night of 4th / 5th April 1943 the crew of this 428 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Kiel. They took off from Dalton at 20.35hrs and released their bomb load from 11,500 feet at 23.22hrs over green target markers as the target area was obscured by cloud. While over the target area the aircraft flew through a barrage balloon cable which made a groove in the leading edge of the port wing before the cable cutting mechanism fired in the wing. The crew were able to bring the aircraft back across the North Sea and they landed at Thornaby at 03.12hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Frederick Harold Bowden DFC RAFVR (89593).
Navigator - Sgt Harry Norman Frederick Rowe RAFVR (1427177).
Second Pilot - Sgt R L Kelly RCAF (R/101942).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Raymond John Gritten RAFVR (129061).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Anthony John Arthur Reynolds RAFVR (1196437).
Air Gunner - P/O Benjamin McKenzie Fitzgerald RCAF (J/16773).
The recommendation for this award was much more detailed (dated 17th February 1943) when he had flown 39 operational flights, his first tour begun on 7th October 1940 to 15th May 1941 and his second tour begun on 26th January 1943, it also stated that "on the night of 13th/14th February 1943, this officer was captain of a Wellington aircraft detailed to attack Lorient. On making
his first run over the target his bomb aimer reported that his bomb, a 4,000-pounder, had hung up. He then made five more runs over the target, four of them on the heading ordered, which necessitated circling over the target, while his bomb aimer attempted to release the bomb with the manual release and ultimately with an axe. On these runs he himself gave the bomb aimer instructions when to attempt to release the bomb, using the bomb sight as a guide. He remained in the target area until the time off target given in orders for the operation."
On 10th July 1943 he (with Rowe, Reynolds, Gritten and Fitzgerald), was flying Ops to Gelsenkirchen in Halifax DK229 when the aircraft was hit by flak in the Cologne area, Bowden ordered his
crew to abandon the aircraft but he was unable to escape the aircraft in time and died. The others survived, Fitzgerald, Rowe and Gritten became PoWs while Reynolds managed to evade capture. S/Ldr Bowden is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. His then flight engineer Hugh McGeach had survived the crash of Halifax W1146 at the head of Swaledale in January 1943.
Wellington HE505 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in January 1943. It was taken on charge almost immediately by 428 Squadron at Dalton on 21st January 1943. As a result of the battle damage on 19th February 1943 minor Cat.Ac/FB damage resulted and a repair on site was made by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. It was returned to 428 Squadron on 27th February 1943. On the night of 4th / 5th April 1943 it flew into a barrage balloon on an operational flight which saw it being landed at Thornaby. Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was again repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. It was returned to 428 Squadron on 22nd May 1943. In June 1943 428 Squadron ceased operating Wellingtons so this aircraft was transferred to 30 O.T.U. at Hixon on 24th June 1943 where it remained until being transferred to 11 A.G.S. at Andreas on 3rd November 1944. During a major inspection on 28th May 1945 aircraft sustained Cat.B and appears to have gone to the Brooklands factory for repair. Once servicable it was received by 48 MU on 4th January 1946 and was then placed in MU store pending disposal. It was struck off charge on 30th December 1948 when it was sold for scrap.
From Hugh Halliday's superb air force awards research Frederick Bowden was born in Dartford in 1918 and was living in Plymouth when he enlisted in the RAF 1939. He received his commission on 16th January 1941, with seniority of 1st January 1941, to the rank of P/O on probation. He was awarded the DFC for service with 49 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1941. He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 16th January 1942, with seniority of 1st January 1942 and F/Lt (war subs) on 16th January 1943 with seniority of 1st January 1943. He was Mentioned his Despatches on 2nd June 1943. As Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross for service with
428 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th June 1943. The citation for his award reads.. "An outstanding leader, Squadron Leader Bowden has completed a further number of operational sorties since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He invariably displays great tenacity in presing home his attacks undeterred by difficulties or danger. On one occasion when detailed for an attack on Lorient he made six runs over the target to drop a bomb which had failed to release.
This officer’s work and example of dogged determination, skill and devotion to duty have been an inspiration to all."
John Gritten was Mentioned in Despatches on 2nd June 1943 for his action on 13th/14th February 1943, the MiD began as a DFC recommendation which reads..
"On the night of 13th/14th February 1943, this officer was bomb aimer in a Wellington aircraft detailed to attack Lorient. On running over the target
he found that his load, one 4,000-pound bomb, would not release electrically. This was subsequently found to be due to a mechanical failure in
the release block. After again trying the electrical release and operating the jettison bars, he arranged with the captain to do another run over
the target to allow him to release the bomb by means of the manual release. This also failed though a total of five additional runs was made and
the aircraft did not leave the target area until the ordered time off target. Pilot Officer Gritten next attempted to release the bomb by playing
hot air from a heating pipe on the release slip, and then by prising open the jaws of the release and hammering on the release block with an axe.
He persevered in his efforts until finally the bomb released when the aircraft was over the Channel. He had then ben attempting to release the
bomb for one hour and 20 minutes and had suffered considerable discomfort due to lack of oxygen. Gritten's determination, which eventually resulted
in the bomb being released, undoubtedly saved the loss of the aircraft, since it could not have been landed with the bomb in position."
He received a commission on 1st September 1942 to P/O on probation (emergency) and on 1st March 1943 he was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs)
then to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st September 1944. He was flying with S/Ldr Bowden in July 1943 in Halifax DK229, he baled out and became a PoW. He remained
in the RAFVR postwar and on 15th August 1949 (with seniority of 25th July 1947) he was granted a short service commission with the rank of F/O in the RAF
and transferred to the Equipment Branch on the same date. He was promoted to F/Lt on 25th July 1951. He was granted a permanent commission in the RAF of
F/Lt on 12th March 1952 but then retired from the RAF on 27th October 1960.