Wellington HE866 damaged by flak, returned to Dishforth airfield.
On the night of 10th / 11th April 1943 this 426 Squadron Wellington was being flown on an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt and left base of Dishforth at around 23.00hrs. The crew bombed the target area through thick cloud onto the PFF markers and around the time they were over the target area the aircraft sustained flak damage. The aircraft landed safely on return to the UK, almost certainly back at base of Dishforth at 07.01hrs.
Pilot - P/O Leonard Alexander Merrifield RCAF (J/11069).
Navigator - P/O George Frederick Keen RCAF (J/17489).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Philip Alfred Andrew RAFVR (123847).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Milton Wilfred Warren RCAF.
Air Gunner - P/O William Edgar Gillis RCAF (J/17233).
The pilot, navigator, bomb aimer and rear gunner were posted to 420 Squadron on 23rd April 1943 in preparation for a move to serve overseas (Middle East theatre).
Leonard Merrifield, George Keen, William Gillis and Philip Andrew were all later awarded the DFC for service with 420 Squadron, Gazetted on 29th October 1943.
Milton Warren was awarded the DFC for service with 426 Squadron, Gazetted on 21st January 1944. He died in 2004.
Wellington HE866 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was taken on charge by 426 Squadron at Dishforth on 2nd April 1943. On 11th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage resulted from the incident recorded above. The damage was repaired on site and it was returned to 426 Squadron use. On 24th May 1943 it received Cat.Ac/FA damage but how this occurred is not yet known. The aircraft was repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. On 5th June 1943 it was returned to 426 Squadron charge. On 27th June 1943 it transferred to 82 O.T.U. at Ossington. On 24th August 1943 it was reported as having sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage that required a repair on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. The aircraft may have been damaged whilst on a leaflet dropping raid or mine laying diversion sortier during the main operations to Berlin on the date of damage.
On 5th October 1943 the aircraft was returned to 82 O.T.U. charge. On 10t March 1944 it require a repair on site by Vickers from Weybridge for unspecified reasons. 25.03.44., returned to 82 OTU charge. On 23rd April 1944 it received unspecified Cat.Ac/FA damage that was repaired on site by a team from Brooklands Aviation Ltd. based at Doncaster. The damage was Re.Cat.B that saw it taken back to Doncaster for a repair in works. The aircraft was ready for collection on 7th October 1944. On 23rd October 1944 it was flown to 48 M.U. at Hawarden and on 21st December 1944 it was taken on charge by 2 A.G.S. at Dalcross. On 27th July 1945 it was transferred to 10 A.G.S. at Castle Kennedy and on 21st January 1946 it was declared Cat.B damaged during a major inspection. The aircraft was repaired in worked at Brooklands Aviation Ltd. at Sywell and was awaiting collection on 23rd April 1946. On 30th April 1946 it was flown to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington where on 7th December 1948 it was struck off charge. The aircraft was sold for scrap to J.Dale Ltd.