Halifax HR783 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
On 3rd July 1943 this 51 Squadron aircraft took off from Snaith airfield at 23.24hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Cologne.
This aircraft sustained damage by flak in the port wing and all the fuel from the fuel tank inside this part of the wing drained
out. They bombed the target area from 17,000ft at 01.40hrs. The crew were able to bring the aircraft back to Yorkshire and they
landed safely at Snaith airfield in the early hours of 4th July 1943 at 05.17hrs. Halifax NR783 was damaged by flak a number of
times in the Spring and Summer of 1943 before it crashed with the loss of its then crew near York in August 1943.
Pilot - P/O Cecil Agar Lambert RAFVR (146864).
Navigator - P/O Jack Austin Wilkins RAFVR (146788).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt L J Collop RAFVR (1394597).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Percy Alfred Newland RAFVR (1330769).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Edward Watson RAFVR (1127753).
Air Gunner - Sgt Charles Martin Johnson RCAF (R/83461).
Air Gunner - Sgt Gerald Alfred Warren RAFVR (1465627).
Cecil Lambert received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 8th May 1943. For
service with 51 Squadron prior to his commission he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 24th July 1943.
Charles Johnson was the son of Martin and Geraldine Johnson of Windsor, Ontario and was born on 21st July 1922.
Jack Wilkins received a commission on 9th May 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency).
Halifax HR783 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was taken on charge by 51 Squadron at Snaith on 31st March 1943. During its life it sustained battle damage on a number of occasions. On 5th May 1943, 28th May 1943, 24th June 1943, 4th July 1943 and also on 14th July 1943 Cat.A/FB resulted each time from flak damage and a repair on site was carried out each time. On 6th August 1943 the aircraft crashed at Crockey Hill, York that saw seven airmen killed. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 16th August 1943. It had logged 140 flying hours in total from new.
Sgt Collop was posted to 76 Squadron on 14th July 1943. Nothing more is known about him. Searching the English registers he was possibly Leslie Joseph Collop.
On 6th August 1943 Lambert, Wilkins, Watson, Johnson and Warren were flying this same aircraft, Halifax HR783, on an air test when it crashed near
Crockey Hill, south of York with the loss of the whole crew. I detail this accident on its own webpage.
Percy Newland received a commission on 28th June 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(149161). He was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th September 1945.