On the night of 2nd / 3rd August 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were to undertake an operational to bomb Hamburg and left base of Elvington at 23.43hrs. The crew bombed the target area from 17,000 feet but was slightly damaged by flak in the port aileron but despite the damage the crew were able to return to base and landed at Elvington at 05.17hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Reginald Job Caseley RAFVR (1316997).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Frederick Ernest Ryder RAF (617495).
Navigator - Sgt Cecil Ritchie Boyd RAFVR (1203145).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt William John Henry Webb RAFVR (1576212).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt William Wright RAF (627912).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Robert Farrell RCAF (R/112769).
Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth Enson Lees RCAF (R/83606).
Reginald Caseley received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 31st August 1943.
William Wright was awarded the DFC for service with 77 Squadron while in the rank of Warrant Officer, Gazetted on 19th October 1943. He received his commission on 6th December 1943 (54229) to the rank of P/O and was promoted to F/O on 6th June 1944 and F/Lt on 6th December 1945.
All of the above apart from Sgt Wright were flying together in Halifax DT730 on the night of 3rd / 4th December 1943 to bomb Leipzig when the aircraft was shot down. All of the crew apart from the rear gunner were sadly killed and are buried Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Sgt Ken Lees survived and became a PoW, he returned home to Port Hope after the War and died in 2006 at the age of 85.