On the night of 3rd / 4th October 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were to undertake an operational flight to bomb Kassel and left Elvington at around 18.00hrs. Outbound the aircraft suffered from the port outer engine failing. Opting not to continue to the target the crew jettisoned the bomb load and made for base of Elvington but on landing there in a cross wind at 21.45hrs the aircraft swung off the runway and the undercarriage collapsed.
Pilot - Sgt Ernest Armitage Brown RAFVR (1294659).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Philip Davison RAFVR (945704).
Navigator - Sgt Norman Eric Rudge RAFVR (1323973).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Michael Tarpey RAFVR (1433707).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Charles Dillnutt RAFVR (1295091).
Air Gunner - Sgt A R Welham.
Air Gunner - Sgt R A Green.
On the night of 20th / 21st December 1943 they were flying with 77 Squadron on Ops to Frankfurt when the aircraft was badly damaged by a night-fighter. Control of the aircraft was initially lost and after receiving the order to bale out two of the crew, Sgt's Dillnutt and Rudge, left the aircraft becoming PoWs. The pilot managed to regain control before anyone else left the aircraft and they continued to the target, attempted to release their bombs but the bomb bay was damaged. They returned to England with the bombs on board and made a landing at Coltishall. For their actions on this night Ernest Brown was awarded the DFC and Sgt's Davison and Tarpey were awarded the DFM (all Gazetted on 21st January 1944). The citation for their awards reads.. "Warrant Officer Brown and Sergeants Davison and Tarpey were pilot, flight engineer and air bomber respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Frankfurt one night in December 1943. Some 40 miles from the target the aircraft was attacked by a fighter, being repeatedly hit by the enemy's bullets. The mid-upper gunner and the flight engineer were wounded. The aircraft sustained much damage and went into a spiral dive and considerable height was lost before Warrant Officer Brown regained control. The intercommunication system and the mid-upper turret were unserviceable and some important equipment was useless. Nevertheless, Warrant Officer Brown went on to the target and afterwards flew the aircraft back to base. In spite of difficulties, Sergeant Tarpey and his wounded comrade, Sergeant Davison, fulfilled their tasks with skill and resolution, rendering valuable assistance to their pilot on the homeward flight in harassing circumstances, these 3 members of aircraft crew displayed courage, coolness and determination of a high order".
Ernest Brown received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 3rd December 1943 but the notification of this was only published in the London Gazette in Febrary 1944. He was promoted to F/O on 3rd June 1944. Postwar he remained in the RAFVR until relinquishing his commission on 17th January 1964.
Philip Davison later received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 9th August 1944 (183863) and rose to F/O on 9th February 1945.
Post-war Norman Rudge received a commission to the rank of P/O on 24th October 1948 in the Training Branch of the RAFVR. He resigned his commission on 6th November 1950.
Back to monthly table.