Wellington HE572 damaged by flak (believed landed at East Moor airfield or Melbourne?).
On the night of 12th / 13th May 1943 this 429 squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Duisberg and took off from East Moor at 23.56hrs. The aircraft was slightly damaged by flak after being caught in a search light cone, the crew brought the aircraft back home and landed safely at 05.43hrs. The location of the landing is not recorded in the 429 Squadron orb or in the East Moor station records other than to suggest it was back at their home airfield at East Moor.
In Brian Rapier's book "Melbourne 10" there is an aerial photograph of Mebourne airfield taken just after this date that shows a crashed Wellington just off the airfield in a field. Rapier states that was 429 Squadron Wellington AL-K and it had crashed on 12th May 1943. This aircraft may be Wellington HE572 crashed at Melbourne. An AM Form 1180 is required. HE572's AM Form 78 records that Cat.Ac/FB damage resulted on 13th May 1943 but this was then re-assessed as being more serious Re-Cat.B on 27th May 1943.
Pilot - Sgt James Edward Pendleton RAFVR (1217783), of Halifax, Yorkshire.
Navigator - Sgt Derek Collins RAFVR (1500557), originally from Barnsley, parents late of Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Air Bomber - P/O George Jarvis RAFVR (128010), of Windhill, Shipley, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Christmas White RAFVR (1053456).
Rear Gunner - Sgt R Bland Joseph Pierce RCAF (R/102844).
James Pendleton was born in Halifax in 1921 and had probably married in the Calder district of Yorkshire in 1942. His crew arrived at 429 Squadron on 5th March 1943. On 3rd July 1943 they were flying Wellington HE802 which was being used on it's first operational flight when soon after taking off the aircraft caught fire in the air so they abandoned the flight and returned to base. This crew were later posted to 432 Squadron on 14th August 1943 who were based at Skipton on Swale. Their time with this squadron was sadly only brief as on the night of 30th / 31st August 1943 all were flying Wellington JA118 on Ops to Monchengladbach with F/Sgt Jensky RCAF as a second pilot when they failed to return. They were initially buried locally but are now buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
George Jarvis was thirty years old. He received his commission on 15th August 1942 to P/O on probation (emergency) and rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 15th February 1943.
Raymond White receieved a commission on 27th July 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency).
Bland Pierce was born on 28th December 1918. His next of kin listed when he died was his brother Mr T W Pierce, of Dublin, Ireland.
Wellington HE572 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was delivered to 38 M.U. at Llandow on 1st February 1943. On 4th April 1943 the aircraft was taken on charge by 429 Squadron at East Moor. As a result of the damage sustained on 13th May 1943 (probably at Melbourne) Cat.Ac/FB damage was the initial damage assessment. As the repair was about to begin on 27th May 1943 it was re-assessed and it was deemed more serious than initiall thought, Re.Cat.B was recorded and it was transported by road to Brookland's Aviation Ltd. at Sywell for a repair in works. It appears to have had a very quick repair because it was then taken on charge by 432 Squadron at Skipton on Swale on 12th June 1943. On 30th August 1943 it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington. On 17th September 1943 it was taken on charge by 26 O.T.U. at Wing. On 7th October 1943 it crashed on landing at Lichfield airfield after suffering engine failure, a fire broke out and the aircraft was destroyed. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 15th October 1943.
