Halifax JB782 damaged by flak, returned to Pocklington airfield.
During the night of 24th / 25th June 1943 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing Wuppertal and left Pocklington at around 23.00hrs, they attacked the target area through thick cloud cover but the aircraft was slightly damaged by flak. The crew were able to make a safe return to base and land at Pocklington at 04.05hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Thomas Samuel Rowbottom RAFVR (1294895).
Navigator - Sgt John Kenneth Keele RAFVR (1334003).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alan Raymond Pearce RAFVR (1382481).
Air Gunner - Sgt Murton Lawrence McClay RCAF (R/147010).
Air Gunner - Sgt Russell Lloyd Collins RCAF (R/65016).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Richard Harvey Day RAFVR (1379869).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt R V Wallace RAFVR (1392870).
On the night of 31st August 1943 this crew were flying Halifax JD909 on an operational flight to Berlin when the aircraft was badly damaged by flak, two of the crew were able to succesfully bale out before the aircraft crashed in Germany. Sgt Wallace and F/Sgt Collins survived but everyone else were killed and are now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. F/Sgt Collins became a PoW but Sgt Wallace managed to evade capture, via Switzerland, and return to the UK.
Halifax JB782 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was flown to Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett on 19th February 1943. Why this happened is not clear. The aircraft was then taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 18th March 1943. As a result of flak damage sustained on 27th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment which saw it repaired on site. On 28th May 1943 it sustained flak damage on Ops to Essen, Cat.A/FB damage was again the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. 25th June 1943 it sustained flak damage on Ops to Wuppertal, Cat.A/FB damage was again the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 10th July 1943 it sustained flak damage on Ops to Gelsenkirchen, Cat.A/FB damage was again the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 10th August 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Mannheim. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 13th August 1943 having clocked up a total of 201 flying hours from new.