Halifax HR738 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
On the night of 13th / 14th May 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Bochum and took off from Snaith airfield at 23.42hrs. While over the target area this aircraft was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with another aircraft, the crew dropped their bomb load but the pilot's windscreen was later pierced by a piece of flak at 18,000 feet. The aircraft returned to Snaith and landed safely at 04.44hrs.
Pilot - P/O Claud Robert Wilson RAFVR (144288).
Navigator - P/O Peter Austin Finnett RAFVR (144208).
Air Bomber - Sgt Raymond Airey RAFVR (1477932).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Donald Hall RAFVR (1266320).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Arthur Bernard Anger RAF (650167).
Air Gunner - Sgt Louis Patrick Wooldridge RAF (649746).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Charles Sharp RAFVR (1335696).
Claud Wilson received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 14th March 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazette on 17th August 1943 and was promoted to F/O on 14th September 1943 and to F/Lt on 13th March 1945. While serving with 158 Squadron in North Africa on 12th November 1945 he was killed when Stirling PJ950 crashed on take off from Castek Benito with the loss of 28 men. He is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya.
Peter Finnett received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 28th March 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazette on 14th September 1943. He was promoted to F/O on 28th September 1943 and to F/Lt on 28th March 1945. While serving with 158 Squadron in North Africa on 12th November 1945 he too was killed when Stirling PJ950 crashed on take off from Castek Benito with the loss of 28 men. He is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya.
Donald Hall received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 31st May 1943 (146621) and rose to F/O on 31st November 1943 and F/Lt on 31st May 1945. Postwar he remained in the RAF transferring to the Reserve in January 1950. He relingquished his commission in the RAF Reserve of Officers on 5th June 1952 on appointment to a commission in the RAF as F/Lt on 5th June 1952 but reliquished this commission on 7th February 1958.
Arthur Anger received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 22nd January 1945 (56538).
Louis Wooldridge was born in Stalybridge, Cheshire in 1921 and initially joined the RAF at the start of the War as a mechanic and served as a member of ground crew for 243 Squadron. He later re-mustered to be aircrew and trained in Africa. After serving two Tours with 51 Squadron and 578 Squadron he was awarded the DFC for service with 578 Squadron while in the rank of Warrant Officer, Gazetted on 11th December 1944. He would later write the book "Day Squire - Knight Flier".
Leslie Sharp received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 21st January 1945 (190506). He was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 20th July 1945 and was promoted to F/O on 21st July 1945.
Raymond Airey was awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. He was granted a commission to P/O on probation (emergency) on 22nd April 1945 (197927) and rose to F/O on 22nd October 1945.