Halifax HR714 damaged by flak, returned to Elvington airfield.
On the night of 16th / 17th April 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb Mannheim, they took off from Elvington airfield at 21.12hrs. The aircraft bombed the target area from 13,500 feet and while over the target area was slightly damaged by flak but the crew were able to return to the UK and made a landing at Elvington at 04.50hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Robert Watson RAFVR (1561631).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Robert Cooper Mills Douglas RAF (611793).
Navigator - Sgt Andrew Peter Deighton RAFVR (1383346)
Bomb Aimer - Sgt John Burt Watt RAFVR (1349949).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas Pearson RAFVR (1123153).
Air Gunner - Sgt Anthony Luke RAFVR (1339381).
Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Graham Hume RCAF (R/116029).
Second Pilot - F/O A W Thomas.
Raymond Hume was born on 3rd July 1941 in Richards, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of William and Marie Leitia (nee Mullen) Hume. The family later moved to Flin Flon, Manitoba. He enlisted for RCAF service on 3rd July 1941 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and trained as an air gunner. On arrival in the UK in August 1942 he trained at 20 OTU and 1652 CU before posting to 77 Squadron on 26th February 1943.
On 20th / 21st April 1943 the first seven named above were flying an operational flight together in Halifax HR714 (the same aircraft as slightly damaged a few days earlier) on Ops to Stettin when the aircraft crashed in Denmark with the loss of all on board. All are buried in Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark.
The second pilot may have been F/O (later F/Lt) Arthur Wynne Thomas RAF (108063) who would serve with 550 Squadron and was lost on 19th / 20th October 1944 while flying Lancaster NG192 on Ops to Stuttgart.
Halifax HR714 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss on 28th February 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 26th March 1943 but was transferred to 77 Squadron at Elvington on 4th April 1943. As a result of minor flak damage on 17th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damaged assessment and it was quickly repaired on site. On 21st April 1943 it failed to return from an operational flight to bomb Stettin. It's seven man crew were killed. Cat.E(m) damage was the damage assessment and it struck off charge on 24th April 1943. It had flown just over 38 hours total flying time.