Halifax JB784 damaged by flak, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th March 1943 this 78 Squadron Halifax was being flown on an operational flight to bomb Berlin, whilst flying roughly over the Bremen area the aircraft received flak damage, one of the bursts broke off a propeller blade from the port inner engine which then struck the cockpit area of the Halifax. It narrowed missed the wireless operator. The top of the astro-dome was also knocked off, both compasses and many of the navigation instruments also failed and the wireless equipment began to play up. After the flak damage control was momentarily lost and the aircraft lost a few thousand feet before the pilot regained control. The bomb load was jettisoned roughly in the Celle area and the crew made for England. The landed safely, believed to have been back at base of Linton on Ouse, at 01.45hrs.
Pilot - F/Lt Arthur Patrick Dowse DFC RAFVR (88035).
Navigator - Sgt Richard Desjardins RCAF (R/79743).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Henry Edward Thompson RAF (655035)
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Philip Langsford RNZAF (NZ.412343).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Thomas Thompson Slater RAFVR (1042698).
Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth Flavis Winter RAFVR (1578931).
Air Gunner - Sgt Albert William Hoare RAFVR (1421354).
On 16th / 17th April 1943 all of the above apart from Sgt Winter were flying Halifax DT773 when it failed to return from Ops to Plzen after the aircraft was badly damaged by a night-fighter which caused both wings to catch fire. The pilot instructed his crew to bale out while he held the aircraft steady. All apart from the rear gunner were able to jump successfully but the rear turret doors had jammed and the rear gunner could not escape. With the fire spreading and the wings in danger of burning through he used the intercom to inform the pilot that he was trapped so instead of making good his own escape the pilot (of which there was time) remained at the controls, eventually the rear gunner forced his way out but at the same time as one of the wings broke off sending the aircraft into a steep spining dive. The pilot was then killed in the resulting crash while the rear gunner and the other members of the crew became PoWs. Sgt Thompson must have sustained injuries either in the attack by the night-fighter or suffering a heavy landing, while he was captured he had to be taken to hospital and one of his legs was amputated. He was later repatriated. Arthur "Paddy" Dowse is now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery. He received a Mention in Despatches on 14th January 1944, possibly as the story of how he had not made good his escape from the aircraft and by allowing time for his rear gunner to escape it had cost him his life.
Paddy Dowse's brother Herbert Richard Dowse RAFVR (1542071) died on 21st October 1944 following an accident in the Knaresborough area of Yorkshire and is buried in Dean's Grange Cemetery, Dublin.
Halifax JB784 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 17th February 1943. As a result of sustaining battle damage on 28th March 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the initial damage assessment. Three days later it was Re-Cat.A(c) and a repair commenced at Linton on Ouse on 12th April 1943. The damage must have been more serious than first thought as it took until 15th July 1943 for it to be returned to 78 Squadron once again, who were now based at Breighton. On 12th August 1943 it was transferred to 102 Squadron at Pocklington. On 5th January 1944 it was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall and on 3rd February 1944 it sustained minor Cat.A(c)/FA damage, when the tail wheel collapsed after a heavy landing . It was repaired on site and returned to 1658 H.C.U. use on 19th February 1944. On 14th October 1944 it swung on take off at Riccall following an engine failure and the undercarriage collapsed. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 25th October 1944.
Arthur "Paddy" Dowse was born in Ireland, he was granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation with effect of 9th November 1940 (seniority of 2nd November 1940) and rose to F/O a year later. Earlier in the War he had flown a Tour with 144 Squadron for which he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 30th January 1942. On the night of 7th / 8th November 1942 he flying 78 Squadron Halifax W1063 on Ops to Italy but outbound and probably while over the Alps one of the engines failed. Realising that they could not then return over the Alps they continued to target, released the bomb load but then aimed for Gibraltar, the aircraft was eventually ditched off Spain, the crew were rescued but then interned briefly in Spain before being released to Gibraltar and then returned to the UK in early 1943. With him during these events were Sgt Hoare and Sgt Slater and also possibly some of teh other un-named members of the crew during the flak incident in March 1943. Dowse, Langsford, Thompson, Slater and Hoare resumed their flying with 78 Squadron.
Kenneth Winter was not a regular in Dowse's crew, he was not on board Halifax DT773 at the time they were reported as missing, he was later awarded the DFM for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th November 1943 and survived the war.