On the evening of the 12th March 1943 this 10 Squadron aircraft left Melbourne airfield at 19.27hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Essen. The aircraft bombed the target area at around 21.20hrs from 17,000 feet but received minor flak damage which holed a starboard wing fuel tank. The crew were able to bring the aircraft back to base and landed at Melbourne at 23.53hrs.
Pilot - P/O Raymond Price Hellis RAFVR (123117).
Navigator - Sgt Alfred Charles Paulton RCAF (R/98024).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Robert George Craft RCAF (R/84492).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth John Bullock RAF (553917).
Air Gunner - Sgt Larkins (probably Albert Thomas Larkins RAFVR (1398705)).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alfred Long Blair RAF (619934).
Air Gunner - Sgt Victor Gardner RAF (627184).
Raymond Hellis had received a commission on 25th April 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and was promoted to F/O on 25th October 1942. He was awarded the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943 while in the rank of Acting F/Lt. He was promoted to F/Lt (War Subs) on 25th April 1944.
Alfred Paulton was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943.
Robert Craft was also awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. The citation for his DFM states "Flight Sergeant Craft became a first class air bomber at a very early stage in his operational career and it has been very largely owing to his skill and determination that many fine photographs have been obtained. On one occasion during an attack on Berlin his aircraft was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire and Flight Sergeant Craft received severe head injuries. After a month in the hospital this airman returned to duty. Since then he has continued to display great keenness and courage." This incident referred to in the citation was probably the incident involving Halifax HR698 on 27th / 28th March 1943.
Alfred Blair was also awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943.
Victor Gardner was also awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. By 31st March 1943 Victor Gardner was serving with 156 Squadron PFF and on this date he was flying in Lancaster ND466 on Ops to Nurnberg. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter over the target area and he was killed. He is now buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
Albert Larkins was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 18th November 1943 and rose to F/O six months later and to F/Lt on 18th Noveber 1945. He stayed in the RAF after the war but I have yet found when he left the service.
Halifax HR695 was built to contract 1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd, at Radlett. On 30th January 1943 it was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Melbourne. As a result of battle damage on 26th February 1943, 12th March 1943 and 1st May 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage assessments took place and repairs on site were carried out each time. As a result of further battle damage on 14th May 1943 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment. On 28th May 1943 and then 26th June 1943 minor Cat.A/FB battle damage occurred with a repair on site being made each time. On 29th November 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. On 24th September 1944 it was transferred to the newly formed 1669 H.C.U. at Langar. On 19th February 1945 it must have failed a major inspection so was sent for a repair at a works factory at Doncaster but on 6th March 1945 a further assessment saw it struck off charge.
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