On the night of 12th / 13th May 1943 this aircraft was one of a number of 426 Squadron Wellingtons used for an operational flight to bomb Duisburg. This aircraft
took off from Dishforth airfield at 23.46hrs. The crew released their bomb load over the target at 02.23hrs from 14,000ft but four minutes after bombing the aircraft was hit by flak. One of their bombs hung-up and they returned to base
with it. Dispite the damage the crew were able to make a safe return to Yorkshire and land safely at base of Dishforth at 05.21hrs on 13th May 1943. The details of the
damage sustained was not listed in the 426 Squadron record book.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley Gaunt RCAF (R/120080), of Rhode Island, USA.
Navigator - Sgt A T McCormick RCAF, of Alaska, USA.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Lloyd Rufus Fadden RCAF (R/97650), of Seattle, Washington, USA.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J H Jones (Possibly Sgt James Howard Jones RCAF, of Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada.)
Air Gunner - Sgt Lloyd Christie McCracken RCAF (R/64681), of Fredericton Junction, New Brunswick, Canada.
On the night of 23rd / 24th May 1943 this same crew were flying Wellington HE995 on Ops to Dortmund when the aircraft was badly shot up by flak. The
squadron ORB lists the damage as being to the undercarriage which was practically shot away and that a fire developed in the front turret. Sgt Gaunt
instructed his crew to bale out. Sgt Fadden and Sgt McCracken left the aircraft as instructed but because the escape hatch created a draught the
fire went out, so because of this the remaining three crew stayed with the aircraft and bombed the target area. On their return flight the aircraft
was shadowed by an Me110 and Sgt McCormick alternated between keeping watch in the astro dome and navigating while the wireless operator worked on
repairing the intercom system which must have been damaged by the flak (and one assumes taking the seat in the rear turret). They made a landing
at Martlesham Heath airfield, in Suffolk at 04.20hrs. Lloyd McCracken and Lloyd Fadden were made PoW's as a result of leaving the aircraft
on 23rd / 24th May 1943.
Stanley Gaunt was an American citizen and was living in Pascoag, Rhode Island, USA when he enlisted into the RCAF in Montreal in August 1941. For service
with 426 Squadron he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 13th August 1943, for his actions on the night of 23rd / 24th May 1943 while flying Wellington HE995. The
citation for his DFM adds more details and it reads "One night in May 1943, this airman was captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Dortmund. During the
operation the bomber was repeatedly hit by anti-aircraft fire while illuminated by searchlights. The hydraulic and intercommunication systems were rendered unserviceable, while a fire broke out
in the front turret and the cockpit filled with smoke. The flames were extinguished, however, and Sergeant Gaunt afterwards
flew the damaged aircraft to this country. This airman displayed great courage, skill and coolness throughout." Around June 1943 he transferred to the USAAF. For service with 426 Squadron he was later awarded the DFC, the award was
approved on 28th December 1943 but as an honourary award to an American national and it was not published in London Gazette.
Lloyd McCracken enlisted into the RCAF in June 1940 initially as a ground wireless operator but later remustered as aircrew.
After training in Canada was posted to the UK in October 1942. He (and Sgt Gaunt) survived a landing accident while at OTU when
one of the main undercarriage legs would not lower and the aircraft crashed on landing. They were posted to 426 Squadron in
February 1943. While a PoW he survived a forced march in 1945 before liberation and returning to Canada in Summer 1945.
Lloyd McCracken died in June 2003.
Lloyd Fadden may well have died in a fire in February 1967 in Bridgeport, Michigan, USA.
If the Sgt J H Jones listed above was Sgt James Jones then he was later granted a commission and was still flying with 426 Squadron on 13th May 1944
when Halifax LK883 crashed in Belgium. He was still just nineteen years old and is buried in Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. He was probably flying as an additional
air gunner in the mid-under turret position. Three of the crew of Halifax LK883 managed to survived and evade capture.
Wellington HE632 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 420 Squadron at Middleton St George on 21st February 1943. On 19th April 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 426 Squadron at Dishforth. As a result of sustaining battle damage on 13th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 26tH June 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 82 O.T.U. at Ossington. On 30th August 1943 the aircraft swung on take off at Bircotes, it left the runway and the undercarriage collapsed. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 5th September 1943.
Back to monthly table.