Halifax JD174 damaged by flak, returned to Leeming airfield.
On the night of 3rd / 4th July 1943 this 408 Squadron aircraft was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Cologne when the aircraft received flak damage to the starboard wing-tip. The crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Leeming at 04.56hr. The aircraft was quickly repaired and was again damaged by flak a week later and later in the month it's then crew abandoned it on return from Ops while over the North York Moors.
Pilot - F/Lt Harold Thomas Miles DFC RCAF (J/6946).
Navigator - F/O John Eugene Marier RCAF (J/13819).
Bomb Aimer - F/O David Bryson Young RCAF (J/14819).
Wireless Operator - Sgt P M Hughes RAFVR.
Air Gunner - Sgt S C Shepherd RCAF.
Air Gunner - Sgt Benjamin Douglas Boynton RCAF (R/110387).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Harold Lewis Grayson RCAF (R/68020).
Harold Miles was awarded the DFC for service with 15 Squadron earlier in the war and Gazetted on 6th November 1942. He was then awarded the Bar to the DFC for flying a second Tour with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 1st January 1945. He was then posted to instruct at 1659 HCU and became their chief flying instructor, he was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1945.
John Marier was later posted to 434 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for service between 408 and 434 Squadrons, Gazetted on 5th April 1945.
David Young was also awarded the DFC for service with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th November 1945. While a bomb aimer he flew six operational flights as a mid-upper gunner.
Harold Grayson was also awarded the DFM for service with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 16th June 1944. He had survived baling out of Halifax BB332 over Sweden on 28th March 1943 and was briefly interned.
Benjamin Boynton was awarded the DFM for service with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th August 1943 mainly for his actions on 29th / 30th May 1943 flying in Halifax JB969 with F/Sgt Grubert as his pilot on Ops to Wuppertal. The citation for his DFM reads.. "This airman has taken part in operational sorties against targets which include Cologne, Kiel, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Dortmund. While returning from Wuppertal in May 1943, the aircraft in which he was flying as rear gunner was attacked on two occasions by enemy fighters. The first attack was successfully evaded on instructions given to the captain by Sergeant Boynton. The second enemy aircraft attacked a little later and during the ensuing engagement this airman gave an able commentary, again enabling successful evasive action to be taken. At the same time he engaged his assailant with his guns and shot the enemy aircraft down in flames. During this combat Sergeant Boynton maintained great coolness. His own aircraft suffered no damage and made a safe return."