Halifax HR668 damaged by flak, returned to Pocklington airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart they took off at 21.29hrs but the aircraft was damaged by flak around 10 miles from Dieppe and the starboard inner engine was badly damaged. The crew abandoned the flight to Stuttgart and made for home, landing at Pocklington at 00.52hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Wilfred Ambrose Griffiths RAFVR (1316333), of Hakin, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.
Navigator - Sgt Wilfred Charles Marsh RAFVR (1312151), of Ringwood, Hampshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John George Herbert Mansell RAFVR (1190925), of Poole, Dorset.
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Cuthbert Weir RCAF (R/123705), of Minaki, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt Bertram Charles John White RAFVR (1339032).
Flight Engineer - Sgt James Thomas Smith RAFVR (1053959).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt James Kenneth Campbell RAFVR (1065510), of Widnes, Lancashire.
Sgt's Griffiths (aged 20), Smith, Wier (26), Campbell (22), Marsh (31) 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.
F/Sgt Mansell as killed on 10th July 1943 on Ops to Gelsenkirchen flying in Halifax BB249, the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in Belgium. He was one of the oldest members of Bomber Command at the age of thirty seven and is buried in Florennes Communal Cemetery, Belgium. His name is given in some of the April 1943 pages of the ORB as being F/Sgt "G.P.H.Mansell" but the name listed above must be correct.
Halifax HR668 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 13th January 1943. As a result of flak damage on the nights of 14th / 15th April 1943 and then on 14th / 15th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment each time that saw a repair on site twice made. The aircraft was badly damaged by flak on the night of 11th / 12th June 1943 that saw holes created all over the fuselage and elevator damaged. Where the crew landed the aircraft is not stated in the squadron records. The damage was assessed as being repairable Cat.B/FB. On 28th June 1943 it was taken to the repair facility at Y.A.R.D. for a repair in works. The aircraft was ready for collection on 13th November 1943. On 24th November 1943 it was flown to 48 M.U. at Hawarden and it was taken on charge by 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit at Blyton on 20th December 1943. On 23rd April 1944 it received Cat.Ac/FA damage in a flying accident but this was re-assessed as Re.Cat.B as it was sent to Y.A.R.D. again on 6th June 1944 for another repair in works. While the repair was being done it was further assessed and deemed Re.Cat.E on 27th June 1944 and struck off charge.