Halifax JB848 damaged by flak, returned to Pocklington airfield.

On the night of 27th / 28th March 1943 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft took off from Pocklington airfield at 20.01hrs to undertake an operational flight to Berlin. Five miles north of the target area the aircraft was hit by a flak burst below the aircraft and the navigator's position received minor damage. The navigator's hand was slightly injured and his table and the maps on it were hit. Despite the damage the crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Pocklington airfield at 02.40hrs. The aircraft must only have received very minor damage as it crashed on take off from Pocklington only a few hours later killing five of the airmen named below.

Pilot - W/Co George Walton Holden DFC RAFVR (103484).

Navigator - F/O Douglas William Francis Harper RAFVR (127313)

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Frank William Dorrington RAFVR (1330802).

Air Gunner - Sgt John King RAFVR (1609738).

? - F/Sgt G P Clark.

Flight Engineer? - Sgt William McGrath RAFVR (1365664).

Navigator - F/O William Hugh Jenkins RAFVR (129161).

? - P/O F J Such.

Harper, Dorrington, King, McGrath and Jenkins were killed later on the 29th March 1943 when Halifax JB848 crashed at Pocklington on take off for Ops.
George Walton Holden's life is well documented on the internet. He received the DSO, DFC and Bar and was also Mentioned in Despatches. He was later killed serving with 617 Squadron on 16th September 1943 and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Halifax JB848 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 5th March 1943. As a result of sustaining in flak damage on 27th March 1943 and then on 28th March 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment each time and it was repaired on site very quickly each time. On 29th March 1943 it crashed at Pocklington immediately after take off for an operational flight to bomb Berlin. Cat.E2 Burnt damage was the damage assessment. It was struck off charge on 8th April 1943 having flown just over 28 hours total flying time.

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