Halifax HR869 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
This aircraft took off from Snaith at 00.18hrs on 22nd June 1943 to undertake an operational flight to bomb Krefeld but the crew jettisoned their bomb load at 02.00hrs after being attacked by a Junkers Ju88. The Halifaxes gunners returned fire as the Ju88 closed in and was claimed as probably shot down as it was seen to dive away emitting a red glow. The Halifax was attacked by a second Ju88 but the pilot of the Halifax took evasive action and descended to just 1,000ft. The aircraft was later fired upon by a flak ship and received slight damage. The crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Snaith at 04.12hrs.
Pilot - F/O Thomas Reginald Dobson RAFVR (106875), of Selby, Yorkshire.
Navigator - Sgt Leslie Frank Merricks RAFVR (1333995).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Alexander Aloyisius McGregor RAF (617161), of Glasgow.
Wireless Operator - Sgt Herbert Francis Maughan RCAF (R/106632), of Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Donald William Kemp RAFVR (1162793), of Werrington, Staffordshire.
Air Gunner - Sgt Donald John Cameron RCAF (R/99776), of London, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner - Sgt Sgt Charles Gordon Carrington RAF (514361), wife of Long Sutton, Lincolnshire.
Sgt Maughan had previously served with 158 Squadron and arrived at 51 Squadron on 12th February 1943.
This whole crew were were killed on 28th August 1943 while still serving with 51 Squadron, they were flying in Halifax HR869 on Ops to Nuremburg when the aircraft crashed in Germany and they are now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.