Halifax HR791 damaged by flak, returned to Driffield airfield.
The only reference to this incident that I have currently located is in Driffield airfield record book (AIR28/222). This states that on 14th May 1943 "the rear gunner of a Halifax of 158 Squadron was wounded by flak over the
target, adequate first aid was given by the crew. He sustained wounds of the scalp, right elbow and a wound to the right eye. He was removed to hospital immediately after landing back at base." No aircrew names or the aircraft
identity is given. We then need to look for other records that could relate to this report.
158 Squadron flew operational sorties to bomb Bochum on the night of 13th / 14th May 1943, then nothing on 14th / 15th May 1943. The injuries must therefore have occurred on the earlier night. The injuries that the
rear gunner sustained one could expect to have been recorded in the squadron records because it would have seen him taken off operational flying. Normally flak damage and injuries that occurred while on an operational
flight were usually recorded in the operational record but unfortunately this appears to have not been done in this case. What was mentioned, and as a result whom I consider to have been the injured air gunner was a
Sgt K Beavis who was posted to RAF Driffield non-effective sick on 14th May 1943. Sgt Beavis had flown operationally in Halifax HR791 on the night of 13th / 14th May 1943 and while the squadron records don't state as much
I would suggest that he was the individual who was wounded. The details and the crew list are recorded below. Halifax HR716 was recorded as damaged by flak on the same night but the rear gunner of this, Sgt Mycock, does
not appear to have been injured. There should be an AIR81 casualty file for this incident yet to be released.
On the night of 13th / 14th May 1943 the crew of this 158 Squadron aircraft took off from Driffield at 23.41hrs. They bombed the target area from 20,000 feet at 02.30hrs and they landed at Driffield at 05.08hrs.
Pilot - Sgt John Albert Victor Denton RAFVR (138927).
Navigator - Sgt Harold Middleton Robinson RAFVR (1381423).
Air Bomber - Sgt John Reginald Dalton Morgan RAFVR (1317858).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Henry Stimson RAFVR (1292827).
Air Gunner - Sgt Eric Furness RAFVR (1033580).
Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth James Beavis RAFVR (1237941). Probably injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Reginald George Weston Richards RAFVR (977492).