Wellington HE914 at East Moor airfield.
On the night of 29th / 30th May 1943 this 429 Squadron aircraft was being flown on Ops to bomb Wuppertal when it was damaged by flak, the crew brought it home and made a safe landing at East Moor at 03.43hrs. The ORB states it sustained numerous holes in the aircraft and minor Cat.Ac/FB damage was the initial damage assessment. During the repair on site at East Moor more serious damage was found so the damage assessment was upgraded to Re-Cat.B which saw it then transported away for a repair in works at Weybridge. It left 429 Squadron and never returned.
Pilot - Sgt H Wilton RCAF (R/119961).
Navigator - Sgt K M Moore RCAF (R/142515).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt K R Welte RCAF (R/91131).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt W Meyer RCAF (R/138040).
Air Gunner - Sgt W A Marshall RCAF (R/112754).
This crew did not fly many operational flights with 429 Squadron. The pilot may be the same pilot who flew with 424 Squadron earlier in 1943 and possibly with 420 Squadron in 1944. Welte later served with 434 Squadron.
Wellington HE914 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong’s Ltd. Hawarden and was taken on charge as new by 429 Squadron on 11th April 1943. On 28th April 1943 Vickers carried out a repair on site for unspecified reasons and it took until 20th May 1943 for the aircraft to be returned to 429 Squadron charge. As a result of sustaining battle damage on 30th May 1943 Cat.Ac/FB was the initial damage assessment but on 7th June 1943 with the repair underway it was deemed more seriously damaged so was re-assessed as having Re-Cat.B damage that then saw it transported to Vickers Ltd. Weybridge for a repair in works. The aircraft was swiftly repaired and on 19th June 1943 was awaiting collection. On 26th June 1943 it was taken on charge by 30 O.T.U. at Hixon. On 12th November 1943 the aircraft was again in need of a repair on site for unspecified reasons, Cat.Ac/FA damage was the assessment and the repair was carried out by Vickers Ltd. On 1th January 1944 the aircraft was returned to 30 O.T.U. charge. On 28th January 1944 the aircraft was flown on a leaflet drop over France but suffered an engine failure so was force landed near Maidstone, Kent. Unfortunately the aircraft was badly damaged, Cat.E/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 2nd February 1944 having clocked up 308 flying hours from new.