Halifax HR720 damaged on Ops, returned to Lissett airfield.
On the night of 20th / 21st April 1943 the crew of this 158 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb a target at Stettin. The aircraft took off
from Lissett at 21.33 hrs and the crew released their bomb load over the target area at 01.15hrs from 8,500 feet. On the return flight the aircraft was hit by light flak at 02.00hrs and damage was sustained to the starboard rudder. The squadron records state that the aircraft was flying at just 100 feet when damaged by flak though I suspect at least one zero may be missing from the number if not two. The aircraft was landed safely at Lissett at 06.08hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Allen Rex Sarjent RAFVR (1332756).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Daniel Robert Bown RAFVR (1193315).
Navigator - Sgt William Dixon Gray RAFVR (1098526).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Leonard Sidney Webb RAFVR (124760).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Jack Benjamin James Knowles RAFVR (1079005).
Air Gunner - Sgt Geoffrey Harley Gardner RAF (645001).
Air Gunner - Sgt Colin Henry Garner RAF (530348).
Many of those named above were soon posted to 35 Squadron. On 30th May 1943 Sgt Garner and Sgt Gray were killed when Halifax W7876 failed to return from an operational flight on Wuppertal. They are buried Rheinberg War Cemetery. Sgt's Sarjent, Bown, Knowles and Gardner were flying in the same aircraft and were made POWs.
Leonard Webb was killed on 4th October 1943 flying 97 Squadron Lancaster JA923 on Ops to Frankfurt. He is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery. He was awarded a posthumous DFC for service with 97 Squadron, Gazetted in April 1945.
Halifax HR720 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 at Radlett and was flown to 45 M.U. at Kinloss on 14th March 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Lissett on 24th March 1943. As a result of the minor damage sustained on 21st April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment. It was repaired on site and resumed use by 158 Squadron. On 14th July 1943 it failed to return from Ops to Aachen that saw one of it's then crew killed, five made PoW and one evading capture. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 18th July 1943.