Halifax JB851 damaged by flak, landed at East Moor airfield.
On the night of 25th / 26th May 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf and took off from Elvington airfield at 23.26hrs, as they prepared to bomb the target a flak burst in front of the aircraft resulted in a small piece of flak coming through the front perspex and striking the aircraft cockpit just above the pilot's seat. The pilot was uninjured and the crew then bombed the green PFF target indicators from 18,000 feet. The crew were able to make a safe landing at East Moor at 04.42hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Augustine Brannigan RAFVR (1126352).
Flight Engineer - Sgt James William Baxter RAFVR (1020127).
Navigator - Sgt Arthur William Beard RAFVR (1159543).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Peter Rowland Humphries RAFVR (1318660).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt William Francis Catley RAFVR (1330807).
Air Gunner - Sgt Alexander Grorge Templeton RAFVR (1559351).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Palmer RAFVR (1576800).
Augustine Brannigan had trained at 1652 H.C.U. and already been involved in one flying accident when, on 31st October 1942 he was a pilot of Halifax R9433 undertaking a training flight when it crashed near Welburn, between York and Malton and he sustained injuries. He recovered from these injuries and completed his training to be posted to 77 Squadron in Spring 1943. On 11th May 1943 he was the pilot of Halifax BB380 that crashed on take off from Elvington for a training flight which injured one of his crew but following this incident he was soon back in the air and flying operationally. Two days after this flak incident he was flying with the same crew as listed above in Halifax JB852 when the aircraft was again damaged by flak and he brought the aircraft back to land at East Moor airfield. On 28th/29th June 1943 all of those listed above were flying in Halifax JB970 on Ops to Cologne when the aircraft was hit by flak killing the flight engineer Sgt Baxter and he landed the aircraft at Honington. Augustine Brannigan later received a commission on 27th August 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). I thank Augustine Brannigan's nephew for contacting me in April 2011 and to Ade Harris for the photograph of his gravestone. A memorial service took place on 28th August 2013 with members of his family in attendance and the organisers also run the superb "http://www.rememberjd371.be" website who kindly credit me with putting the family and the Belgians in contact.
Sgt Baxter was replaced by an Australian flight engineer and the crew then resumed operational flying. On 28th August 1943 they were flying Halifax JD371 on Ops to Nuremburg when the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in Belgium with five of his then crew killed, three were able to evade capture and return to the UK. P/O Brannigan (aged 29), F/Sgt Humphries (aged 22), Templeton (aged 22) were killed and are buried in Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Arthur Beard was awarded the DFM, he survived and evaded capture to return to the UK. He died in 1991.
William Catley also survived and evaded capture to return to the UK. He died in 2001.
William Palmer also survived and evaded capture to return to the UK. He was present when the memorial was dedicated to those who died in the crash of Halifax JD371.
Halifax JB851 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection on 9th March 1943. The following day it was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at Elvington. As a result of sustaining flak damage on 28th March 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was probably the damage assessment. A repair on site was commenced by 60 M.U. on 9th April 1943 which may have seen the damage assessment upgraded to Cat.Ac. On 7th May 1943 the repair was complete and it was returned to 77 Squadron at Elvington but it was then re-coded "KN-J". On the night of 25th / 26th May 1943 a flak burst directly in front of the aircraft caused a piece of flak to fly through the cockpit front perspex and into the cockpit just above the pilot's seat. Very minor Cat.A/FB damage would have been the damage assessment had one been made before the perspex was repaired or replaced. On 1st September 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Berlin with seven of the eight crew being killed, the survivor became a PoW. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 5th September 1943.
Sgt Baxter was killed on 29th June 1943 while flying with the crew listed above in Halifax JB970, the aircraft was hit by flak in the target area which killed him instantly and injured Sgt Catley. Sgt Baxter was twenty three years old and is buried in Cuxwold Churchyard, Lincolnshire. Brannigan landed at Honington airfield on return.
