Halifax JB792 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
On the night of 13th / 14th May 1943 the crew of this 51 squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Bochum and took off from Snaith airfield at 00.04hrs.The aircraft sustained flak damage prior to reaching the target area and dispite hits on the aircraft in numerous places the crew released their bombs and returned safely to base landing there at 05.47hrs. This aircraft was swiftly repaired and it crashed on landing at Woolfox Lodge airfield ten days later on return from Ops with pretty much the same crew.
Pilot - F/O Arthur Douglas Andrew RAFVR (129330).
Navigator - F/O William Auld RAFVR (130586).
Air Bomber - Sgt Thomas Kidger RAFVR (1500040).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George James Stuart McMillan RCAF.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Keith MacEachern RCAF (R/82304).
Air Gunner - P/O Albert Edward Thomas RAF (50556).
Air Gunner - Sgt Auber Maurice Davidson RCAF.
Arthur Andrew received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 14th August 1942 and was promoted to F/O on 14th February 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 12th October 1943 9as Acting F/Lt, the citation reads.."One night in August 1943, this officer piloted an aircraft detailed for an operation against Berlin. Whilst over the city the aircraft was attacked by 3 fighters. Displaying superb airmanship, Flight Lieutenant Andrew out-manoeuvred the attackers thus enabling his gunners to engage the enemy aircraft to good effect. After a protracted fight one of the attackers was shot down while the other two were driven off. Flight Lieutenant Andrew then executed a most determined bombing attack and secured an excellent photograph. This officer displayed great courage, skill and tenacity throughout." He was later promoted to F/Lt on 14th August 1944.
Thomas Kidger received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th August 1943 (155899), he was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 21st January 1944. He later rose to F/O on 19th February 1944 and to F/Lt on 19th August 1945. He remained in the RAF until transferring to the Reserve on 17th July 1955 and later relinquished his commission on 17th July 1959.
George McMillan received a commission on an unknown date and was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 21st January 1944.
Auber Davidson had originally served in the Canadian Army but transferred to the RCAF in 1940, he received a commission in November 1943 and was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th March 1944. Post-war he left the RCAF to study at the University of Alberta, he then worked as a Petroleum Geologist until retirement in 1982. He died on 8th January 2003. I thank his son for kindly contacting me and for correcting a previous entry on this webpage.
William Auld received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 11th September 1942 and was promoted to F/O on 11th March 1943. He too was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 12 November 1943. He died on 22nd August 1944 but the reasons behind his untimely passing are not yet known. He was thirty four years old and is buried in Chester Blacon Cemetery.
Albert Thomas received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 4th December 1942 and was promoted to F/O on probation on 4th June 1943.
F/O Thomas was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th February 1944 and was later promoted to F/Lt on 4th December 1944. He transferred to the Admin and Special Duties Branch on 10th March 1945 and was appointed to Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal on 15th September 1945.
Keith MacEachern was born in Canada in 1921 and enlisted into the RCAF in July 1940. He initially served as ground crew working on Spitfires but while in the UK he re-mustered as aircrew and trained as a flight engineer. An account of his life by his granddaughter found on www.cths.ca states that he first served with 421 Squadron which was a fighter unit and this was probably with whom he served as ground crew. After training his first operational unit must have been 51 Squadron although www.cths.ca states this was 52 Squadron (but they were based in North Africa in 1943 flying Blenheims). He was posted to 51 Squadron on 5th January 1943 from 1659 HCU and served with them until the night of 11th / 12th June 1943 when he was flying in Halifax HR852 on Ops to Dusseldorf, the aircraft was badly damaged and all the crew baled out and became PoWs. After the war he married a Yorkshire girl but he and his wife returned to Canada for a number of years, they later emigrated back to Yorkshire in 1955 where he worked in mining and later ran pubs in Wakefield and Castleford where he died in 1991.