Wellington HZ312 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the night of 23rd / 24th May 1943 this 429 Squadron aircraft was slightly damaged on an aileron by flak while undertaking an operational flight to bomb Dortmund. The crew were able to make a safe to England and are believed to have landed at base of East Moor at 04.16hrs.
Pilot - F/Sgt Kenneth Perram Mills RAFVR (904485).
Navigator - Sgt Elfod Gwynne RAFVR (1413343).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt J F Johnson RAFVR (1332016).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt James Boles RAF (553790).
Air Gunner - Sgt Floyd Raymond Christenson RCAF (R/150742).
Second Pilot - Sgt R J Mcintyre.
Kenneth Mills had received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 27th July 1943 (156338) and was thirty one years old. F/Sgt Gwynne was twenty two and WO Christenson was thirty one.
Wellington HZ312 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate and was received by 23 MU at aldergrove on 5th March 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 429 Squadron at East Moor on 26th March 1943. As a result of sustaining flak damage on 24th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 23rd June 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Mulheim. Cat.E(m) damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge on 24th June 1943 having clocked up 102.25 total flying hours.
Mills, Gwynne, Johnson and Christenson were still serving with 429 Squadron in October 1943 and had gone through their conversion from Wellingtons to Halifaxes. On the night of 22nd / 23rd October 1943 they were flying Halifax JD332 on Ops to Kassel. The aircraft failed to return and Mills, Gwynne and Christenson were killed and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial while three, including F/Sgt Johnson became PoWs.
James Boles survived at least three flying accidents. He survived baling out of an aircraft over the English Channel, a serious crash at East Moor in March 1943 and a further incident. He was awarded the DFM for service with 429 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th September 1943. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 20th May 1943, rising to F/O on probation (war subs) on 20th November 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 20th May 1945. He transferred to the South African Air Force after the War and in the rank of Lt flying with No.1 Squadron he was sadly killed on 14th March 1952 flying in Harvard 7023 that crashed near Bryanston, South Africa just prior to being posted to Korea. His wife was living in Illovo, Johannesburg at the time of his death. He is buried West Park Cemetery, Johannesburg. I would like to thank Mr David Boles for contacting me with regard his late father and for the information he kindly provided.