Wellington HZ264 damaged by enemy aircraft, returned to Croft airfield.
On the night of 3rd / 4th March 1943 the crew of this 427 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Hamburg, this aircraft was attacked and slightly damaged by an enemy Junkers Ju88 and a few holes were made in a wing and a fuel tank. The crew brought the aircraft safely back to the UK and landed at base of Croft ay 00.44hrs. The incident is not mentioned in the war diary displayed on the 427 Squadron Association website or in the squadron ORB. Information that the aircraft sustained damage is detailed on Richard Koval's No.6 Group website and his research is impecable so it must be recorded somewhere.
Pilot - Acting S/Ldr Cyril Henry Earthrowl RAFVR (69450).
Navigator - P/O John Peter Michael Greening RAFVR (130516).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt E A Perdue RCAF (R/74751).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt G M Horsman RAF (Can.220284).
Air Gunner - Sgt Graydon Maurice Thornton RCAF (R/119518).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt W Newcombe RCAF (R/106513).
Wellington HZ264 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd, at Squires Gate and was awaiting collection in February 1943. The aircraft was first taken on charge by 427 Squadron at Croft on 18th February 1943 and sustained minor Cat.A/FB damage on 4th March 1943 on it's first operational flight but the incident is not recorded on it's AM Form 78 card. It was repaired on site and returned to 427 Squadron use, being used operationally again on 28th March 1943. In May 1943 427 Squadron converted to Halifax aircraft so this aircraft was transferred to 432 Squadron on 2nd May 1943 who were based at Skipton on Swale at the time. It appears to have been with 432 Squadron just days as, on 10th May 1943, it was transferred to 17 O.T.U. at Silverstone. On 5th October 1943 it passed to 84 OTU at Desborough. 84 O.T.U. held the aircraft until 4th November 1944 when it passed to 8 MU and it was placed into storage. The aircraft lingered for some time in MU store before being struck off charge on 23rd July 1946.
Cyril Earthrowl was born in 1921. He begun his first Tour in November 1940 with 99 Squadron and after completing it a year later he served as an instructor for a time flying two of the 1000 Bomber raids in May/June 1942. He received a commission in the RAF 12th June 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation and was later promoted to F/O (war subs) on 12th June 1942. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1943 and was promoted to F/Lt on 8th May 1943. He begun a second Tour of operational flying in February 1943 with 427 Squadron and for service with 427 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. Following the completion of his second Tour nothing more is known of his wartime flying. After the war he served as a BOAC pilot for many years before leaving the company at the end of 1975. He died in New Milton, Hampshire in November 2012.
Graydon Thornton was born in 1911 in Birtle, Manitoba, Canada. He was awarded the DFC for service with 427 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th November 1943.
John Greening received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 27th October 1942. He was posted to 427 Squadron on 18th January 1943 and rose to F/O on 27th April 1943. He relinquished his commission in the RAFVR (on appointment to the Belgian Air Force) on 23rd October 1944 though the notification of this in the London Gazette was later cancelled in 1946.
Wo2 Perdue was made a PoW on 20th February 1945 when Halifax NP942 failed to return from Ops to Monheim.