Halifax HR749 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
This 51 Squadron aircraft is believed to have taken off from Snaith at 22.30hrs on 19th June 1943 to undertake an operational flight to bomb
Le Creusot but because of the explosions that were occurring at Snaith on this date 51 Squadron obtained their bombs from Holme on Spalding Moor and it is possible that the aircraft was flown there to bomb-up and start from there. The aircraft was hit by flak in the region of the target area at 02.08hrs and received damage to the mainplane and starboard rudder. The crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed in the early hours of 20th June 1943 at 05.22hrs probably at Snaith though some returning 51 Squadron crews landed at Pocklington and Burn.
Pilot - Sgt Desmond Ewart Abel Lander RAFVR (1333728).
Navigator - Sgt Norman Sidney Francis Palmer RAFVR (1339497).
Air Bomber - Sgt G Collier RAFVR (1391510).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Albert James Wickersham RAFVR (1332147).
Flight Engineer - Sgt D P M Thomson RAF (546342).
Air Gunner - Sgt Ernest Kenwright RAFVR (1020778).
Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Arthur Alfred Swain RAF (647531).
Desmond Lander received a commission to P/O on probation (emergency) on 17th August 1943 (157305) and rose to F/O on 17th February 1944 and F/Lt on 17th August 1945. He was awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 20th April 1945 (with effect of "25th December 1943" but probably more like 25th November 1943 - the day before he was taken PoW). Postwar he remained in the RAFVR until reliquishing his commission on 15th October 1959.
Norman Palmer received a commission to P/O on probation (emergency) on 20th September 1943 (159931) and rose to F/O on 20th March 1944 and F/Lt on 20th September 1945. He was also awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th April 1945 (with effect of 25th November 1943). On 1st January 1983 he was granted a CBE work service as Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment.
Ernest Kenwright was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th October 1944 and awarded the DFC while in the rank of Warrant Officer also for further service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th September 1945.
This crew were posted to 51 Squadron together from 1652 HCU on 4th May 1943. All of the above were posted to 35 Squadron on 19th June 1943. On 26th November 1943 all except Sgt Kenwright were flying in Halifax LW326 on Ops to Frankfurt when the aircraft crashed in Belgium. Wickersham (aged 22) and Swain (aged 24) died and both are buried in Hotton War Cemetery. Lander, Palmer, Collier and Thomson were made PoW's.
Halifax HR749 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was flown to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington on 14th March 1943. On 26th April 1943 the aircraft was taken on charge by 51 Squadron at Snaith. The aircraft was damaged by flak on Ops on 13th May 1943, 20th June 1943 and on 29th June 1943 sustaining Cat.A/FB damage assessments each time and with a repair being carried out on site each time. On 26th July 1943 the aircraft was lost without trace on an operational flight to Essen and the crew of seven were killed. The aircraft was struck off charge on 31st July 1943 having clocked up a total of 118 flying hours.