Halifax JB905 damaged by flak, returned to Leeming airfield.
On the night of 8th / 9th April 1943 this 405 Squadron aircraft was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Duisburg when the port inner engine failed just before they reached the target. The crew released their bomb load but the aircraft was later hit by flak on the return flight and the all four engines then stopped. The aircraft went into a spin and lost a lot of height, believing the aircraft to be crashing part of the crew abandoned the aircraft but after the aircraft had lost height to just 1000ft the pilot was able to re-gain control of the aircraft and three of the engines were re-started. Those left on board were then able to safely return to base. Of the four who left the aircraft three became PoWs but the rear gunner sadly did not survive. The remaining crew flew the aircraft back to base and landed at Leeming at 02.28hrs.
For his actions on this night the pilot was awarded the DFC and his citation adds more details about this incident. "This officer has completed many sorties including attacks on well defended targets in the Ruhr. One flight in April 1943, he piloted an aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg. Whilst over the target area, one engine became unserviceable but, in spite of this, P/O Stovel pressed home a vigorous attack. Immediately afterwards, the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire and temporarily went out of control, losing considerable height. P/O Stovel skilfully regained control, however, and eventually flew the aircraft to base."
Pilot - P/O Clifford Campbell Stovel RCAF (J/16835), of Bergen, Alberta, Canada.
Second Pilot - P/O Giles Ernest Bisson RCAF (J/16354), of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Albert Whitteron RCAF (R/66720), of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt G J Horton.
Navigator - F/Sgt John Edward Bemister RCAF, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt William Gordon James Richardson RCAF, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Mid Upper Gunner - F/Sgt William Arnold Wagner RCAF (R/126995), of Cleveland, Ontario, Canada.
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt Arthur Cox DFM RAFVR (952028). Killed, buried Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
F/Sgt Arthur Cox was awarded the DFM well after his death, it was not Gazetted until 20th July 1945. The citation reads.."Flight Sergeant Cox has been engaged in numerous operations against heavily defended targets in Industrial Germany, German occupied territories, Belgium, France, Italy, and has participated in 22 Anti-Submarine Patrols. On the 10th July 1942, the crew of which he was a member, attacked and sank a submarine. On the 11th March 1943, on an attack on Stuttgart, they engaged in combat with enemy aircraft which were driven off. This N.C.O. is a very efficient Rear Gunner who has earned the confidence and respect of his crew during the long period in which he has been engaged in active operations."
Stovel, Bemister and Richardson were soon posted to 408 Squadron. On the night of 28th / 29th July 1943 they were flying Halifax DT749 on Ops to Hamburg when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed in Meumunster. F/Lt Stovel was killed and his buried in Hamburg Cemetery. P/O's Bemister and Richardson survived and became PoWs.
John Bemister returned to Canada after the war and died in September 2010. I credit air historian Richard Koval with much of this information and posted to the RAF Commands Forum website.
The bomb aimer was possibly George John Thomas Horton RAFVR (1318975) and if so then he was later posted to 83 Squadron. F/Sgt Horton was recorded as missing on 4th October 1943 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was a member of the crew of Lancaster JA972 which crashed into the sea off the Dutch coast on Ops to Kassel.
Halifax JB905 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 405 Squadron at Leeming on 31st March 1943. As a result of battle damage sustained on 9th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment. The damage was repaired on site but not long after it was completed it was transferred to 1658 H.C.U. at Riccall on 25th May 1943. On 6th August 1943 it received an unspecified repair on site by Handley Page Ltd. On 14th August 1943 it was returned to 1658 H.C.U.. On 18th September 1943 the aircraft crashed near Armthorpe, Doncaster that saw three of it's then crew killed. Cat E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 23rd September 1943 having clocked up a total of 331 flying hours.