Wellington HE638 damaged by flak, returned to Skipton on Swale airfield.
This 432 squadron aircraft was being flown on an operational flight to bomb Essen on the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 when it was damaged by a flak over the target at 01.18hrs. The flak burst damaged the port engine which appears to have either been shut down or it had failed. The crew made the return trip to Skipton on Swale using just the starboard engine and made a safe landing at 04.24hrs but on landing the starboard engine caught fire.
Pilot - P/O Joseph Jean Nicholas Rivard RCAF (R/55971).
Navigator - F/Sgt Edward Brant RCAF (R/84311).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt H H Douglas.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt B Payette / Fayette.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Paul Roger Boileau RCAF (R/55993).
Edward Brant arrived in the UK in January 1942 and had trained at 2 AOS and 22 OTU before initially being posted to 35 Squadron on 16th July 1942. He was then posted to 425 Squadron on 27th January 1943 and then to 432 Squadron on 1st May 1943. Although the squadron records all list him as being in the rank of F/Sgt during May 1943 he had infact received a commission on 23rd April 1943 (J/17832). He received a posting back to 22 OTU on 21st July 1943 to serve as an instructor. On 5th May 1944 he was admitted to hospital with a major vision problem that then led to him repatriated to Canada on 9th August 1944 and was discharged from the RCAF. He subsequently then died on 23rd April 1947 (possibly of something related to the condition that saw him repatriated) and is buried at St.Catharine's Victoria Lawn Cemetery, Ontario.
All of the above had earlier served with 425 Squadron from November 1942. All had joined 432 Squadron when it formed in May 1943 but all appear to have left 432 Squadron in June 1943 possibly as they had completed their Tour. Joseph Rivard was recommended for the DFM while still at 425 Squadron but had already transferred to 432 Squadron when notification was printed in the London Gazette on 15th June 1943 and after he had received a commission.
Joseph Paul Boileau was later posted to 405 Squadron in December 1943. On 30th January 1944 he was flying in Lancaster ND462 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft crashed in Germany. He was killed and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
Wellington HE638 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong’s Ltd. at Hawarden. It was initially taken on charge by 427 Squadron at Croft on 11th March 1943 before being transferred to 432 Squadron at Skipton on Swale on 2nd May 1943. The aircraft sustained minor battle damage on 28th May 1943 that saw a Cat.A/FB damage assessment and a repair on site. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it was next transferred to 26 O.T.U. at Wing but does not specify a date. On 8th November 1944 the aircraft was allocated to 86 O.T.U. at Gamston but the unit had disbanded on 15th October 1944 so the aircraft was flown to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington on 15th November 1944. On 25th April 1945 the aircraft required a repair on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge and was returned to 8 M.U. charge on 23rd May 1945. The aircraft remained in store until being struck off charge on 12th May 1947.