Halifax HR663 damaged by flak, returned to Pocklington airfield.
On the evening of 3rd April 1943 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb Essen, they took off from Pocklington at 19.52hrs and bombed the target area from around 18,000ft. They landed safely at Pocklington at 00.14hrs on 4th April 1943 and small holes were found in the aircraft caused by flak bursts.
Pilot - Sgt Wilfred Ambrose Griffiths RAFVR (1316333).
Navigator - Sgt Stanley Cecil Richards RAFVR (1385642).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Arnold Jenkinson RAFVR (1380237).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Cuthbert Weir RCAF (R/123705).
Air Gunner - Sgt Bertram Charles John White RAFVR (1339032).
Flight Engineer - Sgt James Thomas Smith RAFVR (1053959).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt J K Wilson.
Griffith (20), Smith, Jenkinson, Wier (26) and White were flying together again on the night of 20th / 21st April 1943 in Halifax DT747 on Ops to Stettin when they failed to return. The aircraft crashed in Denmark with the loss of the whole crew, all are buried in Fourfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg, Denmark.
Sgt Stanley Richards was awarded the DFM for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. Nothing is known about the next ten years but on 28th March 1953 he was appointed to a commission in the RAFVR Training Branch to the rank of Pilot Officer for four years. He resigned his commission on 12th January 1957.
Only Sgt Wilson's full identity remains unclear at the time of creating this webpage.
Halifax HR663 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 15th January 1943. As a result of minor battle damage sustained on 4th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 17th April 1943 the aircraft failed to return from an operational fligh to bomb Plzen and crashed at Eppe-Sauvage, France. One member of the then crew was killed while six managed to evade capture. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 30th April 1943.