Halifax HR869 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
This aircraft took off from Snaith at 23.13hrs on 11th June 1943 to undertake an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf. The aircraft was slightly damaged by flak over the target area at around 01.30hrs but the crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Snaith in the early hours of 12th June 1943 at 03.50hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Dennis Henry Allan Moore DFM RAF (46081).
Second Pilot - S/Ldr Lloyd Higgs Eno RAF (40096), wife of Hessle, Yorkshire.
Navigator - F/O Geoffrey Bond RAFVR (113918).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Arthur Kenneth Dean RAFVR (142557).
Wireless Operator - F/Sgt William Dudgeon RAFVR (1112277).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alexander William Forbes RAFVR (817282).
Air Gunner - P/O Sydney Gwyn Price RAFVR (116503).
Air Gunner - Sgt Robert William Lorenzo RAFVR (1231021).
"This officer has completed many sorties on his second tour of operations, and his continued good work has won great praise. In recent operations S/Ldr Eno has attacked many targets, including Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Magdeburg and Berlin. He has at all times displayed great courage and determination, and his example has impressed all. In addition to his work in the air, S/Ldr Eno has rendered valuable service in the training of other members of the squadron."
William Dudgeon received his commission on 31st May 1943 and received the usual promotions to F/O after six months to F/O on 30th November 1943 and to F/Lt another 18 months later on 31st May 1945. He left 51 Squadron on posting to 1663 HCU in August 1943. After the war he remained in the RAF until at least 1957.
Dennis Moore joined the RAF at the very bottom way back in 1928 and trained at Halton. He was awarded the DFM for service with 58 Squadron, Gazetted on 22nd November 1940 and appeared in a famous RAF poster of the day entitled "The Few". He received his commission on 3rd July 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation and was promoted to F/O on probation on 1st April 1942 and was Mentioned in Despatches on 11th June 1942, he was later promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 1st February 1943. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 2nd June 1943 and was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 9th July 1943. Postwar he remained in the RAF at least until 1957.
Lloyd Eno received his commission on 5th September 1937 and was promoted to F/O on 12th January 1940. He was injured on active service in late September / early October 1940 then promoted to F/Lt on 12th January 1941. He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 24th September 1941 and rose to S/Ldr (temp) on 1st March 1942. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th October 1943. S/Ldr Eno was still serving with 51 Squadron when he died on 15th March 1944 while flying Halifax LW497 on Ops to Stuttgart. He was twenty four years old and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery. He was awarded the DSO, Gazetted on 31st March 1944 (which was after his death) also for service with 51 Squadron, the citation for his DSO reads..
Sydney Price received his commission on 14th February 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and rose to F/O on 1st April 1943 and F/Lt on 14th August 1944. Postwar he remained in the RAFVR at least until 1949 when he transferred to the Equipment Branch.
Geoffrey Bond received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 13th December 1941 and rose to F/O on probation on 1st October 1942 and F/Lt on 13th December 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 9th July 1943 and was later posted to 10 Squadron, for further service he was awarded the Bar to the DFC, Gazetted on 26th October 1945.
Arthur Dean received his commission to the rank of P/O on (142557) 11th March 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 19th October 1943.
Robert Lorenzo was granted a commission on 1st June 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (148092) and was promoted to F/O on 1st December 1943 and F/Lt on 1st June 1945. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron.
Alexander Forbes received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 21st May 1943 and rose to F/O on 21st November 1943 and F/Lt on 21st May 1945. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944 (D-Day).