Wellington JA111 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On the night of 24th / 25th June 1943 this 429 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Wuppertal but the aircraft was slightly damaged by flak. The crew were able to make a safe to England and are believed to have landed at base of East Moor at 05.02hrs. The damage is listed as being sustained to the astro dome and the rear turret but the suffered from the bomb load hanging up and they were unable to release them over the target area though they were later jettisoned manually.
Pilot - Sgt Anthony Edwin Willey RAFVR (1388287).
Navigator - Sgt P M Vann.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt S B Tucker.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Arthur Walter Kettel RAFVR (1267261).
Air Gunner - Sgt W Richardson.
Ronald Kettel received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th October 1943 (160513), he was promoted to F/O on 19th March 1944 and to F/Lt on 19th October 1945. Postwar he remained in the RAF until February 1963.
Anthony Willey received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 25th September 1943 (159877) and rose to F/O on 25th March 1944 and F/Lt on 25th September 1945. the 429 Squadron website states that he was posted to 14 OTU on 31st March 1944 (to instruct?) and was later posted operational again. For later service with 128 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 7th December 1945.
Wellington JA111 was built by Vickers at Blackpool and was taken on charge by 429 Squadron on 22nd June 1943. It was damaged by flak on 25th June 1943 and then by enemy fighters on 4th July 1943, Cat.Ac/FB damage was probably the most serious any damage assessment was and a repair would have been carried out each time. Neither incident is recorded on it's AM Form 78. It was later transferred to 16 O.T.U. on 15th August 1943 and then 11 O.T.U. on 20th December 1943. It remained at 11 O.T.U. until mid-July 1945 when it passed to 12 MU. It then remained in store until being struck off charge on 11th March 1948.