Wellington HE737 damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
On the night of 4th / 5th April 1943 this 424 Squadron Wellington was being flown on an operational flight to Kiel. The aircraft was over the target at 23.12hrs and was damaged by flak in the front turret but the crew made a safe return to Topcliffe, landing at 02.27hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Lloyd George Wilson RCAF (R/103113).
Navigator - Sgt J R Davis.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt W J Cunningham.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Aubrey William Alexander Burnell RAFVR (1376402).
Air Gunner - Sgt W H Watson.
Aubrey Burnell received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 29th May 1944 (177502). He was serving with 97 Squadron on 21st July 1944 when Lancaster PA979 failed to return from Ops to Courtrai and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was twenty four years old.
Wellington HE737 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 424 Squadron at Topcliffe on 28th March 1943. As a result of flak damage on 5th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 27th April 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Duisburg when it was shot down on the return flight and crashed near Bergen, North Holland. Three of the then crew were killed while three others became PoWs. Cat.Em damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 1st May 1943.
Lloyd Wilson was awarded the DFC for service with 424 Squadron, Gazetted on 1st October 1943. He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 14th January 1944 for service at 82 OTU. He died in August 1989.