Halifax HR732 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.

On the evening of 22nd November 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft took off from Snaith airfield at 17.01hrs for an operational flight to bomb Berlin. They bombed the target area from 18,000 feet at 20.15hrs through thick cloud and just after released their load the aircraft received damaged to the lower side of the fuselage which also damaged the Mandrel aerial. They were able to fly the aircraft back to base of Snaith airfield and land safely at 00.02hrs.

Pilot - P/O David William Hearsey RAFVR (156073).

Navigator - P/O William Morton RAFVR (155935).

Bomb Aimer - F/O "F Garland" (Probably F/O Victor H Garland RAFVR (1552244)).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt F R Stevens.

Flight Engineer - P/O Victor James William Fryer RAFVR (162872).

Air Gunner - P/O Robert William Lorenzo RAFVR (148092).

Air Gunner - P/O Edward Crawford Priest RAAF (421458).

Second Pilot - F/O Cyril Large RAFVR (151473).

Cyril Large was flying with this 51 Squadron crew for operational experience prior to beginning operational flying in No.4 Group with his own crew. He was probably coming to the end of his Heavy Conversion Unit training in late-November 1943 and soon after he was posted to 10 Squadron. On 29th January 1944 he was flying Halifax HR952 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft was badly damaged over Germany, one member of his then crew was able to bale out of the aircraft before it crashed. He and then other five members of his crew were killed and while they were buried locally to the crash site at the time their remains could not be located in the post-war years when the wargrave identification team undertook their work. F/O Large is therefore commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as he has no known grave. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 5th March 1943 and rose to F/O six months later.
Victor Garland survived the crash of Halifax HR727 in the Peak District on 5th October 1943. Further details of this accident which saw the deaths of five of his then crew being killed can be found on Alan Clark's superb website detailing the air accidents in the Peak District.

William Morton was granted a commission on 21st June 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation. He was promoted to F/O on 21st December 1943 and F/Lt on 21st June 1945. For service with 578 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 23rd May 1944.

Robert Lorenzo was granted a commission on 1st June 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation. He was promoted to F/O on 1st December 1943 and F/Lt on 1st June 1945. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 23rd May 1944.

Victor Fryer was granted a commission on 21st November 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation. He was promoted to F/O on 21st May 1944 and F/Lt on 21st November 1945. For service with 578 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 23rd May 1944. He remained in the RAF until July 1957.

Edward Priest was also awarded the DFC for service with 578 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd May 1944. He would also serve with 462 Squadron.

David Hearsey was granted a commission on 19th August 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation. He was promoted to F/O on 19th February 1944 and F/Lt on 19th August 1945. For service with 578 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 23rd May 1944. He remained in the RAF until December 1954 and would moved to East Yorkshire. He died in 2014.

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