Halifax W1157 damaged by flak, landed at East Moor airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th May 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Duisburg and took off from Elvington airfield at 23.54hrs. They released their bombs over the PFF target indicators but was hit and slightly damaged by flak while over the target area, the crew were able to make a safe landing in Yorkshire at East Moor airfield at 05.59hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Norman Reginald Holledge RAFVR (1331061).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Albert Henry Gurry RAFVR (1284804).
Navigator - Sgt William Cooke RAFVR (1339096).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Geoffrey Charles Fenton RAFVR (127294).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Francis Danby RAFVR (1310902).
Air Gunner - Sgt Desmond Henry Clinch RAFVR (1352806).
Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Edwin MacDonald RCAF (R/131442).
Francis Danby had lost a younger brother in RAF service on 27th June 1942, Alan Danby was serving with 405 Squadron and he and his crew were killed when Halifax W1175 crashed off the Dutch coast and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
On 19th June 1943 Holledge, Cooke, Danby, Clinch and MacDonald were killed when Halifax JB863 crashed near Heslington, York on take off for an operational flight to bomb a target in France. This incident is recorded in more detail on a separate website and it is a crash site that I have located, the crew are also remembered on a memorial stone near the crash site on Fulford Golf Course.
Geoffrey Fenton was granted a commission on 20th July 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), and rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 20th January 1943.
He was later posted to 10 Squadron and awarded the DFC for service with them, Gazetted on 30th June 1944. He was promoted to F/Lt on 20th July 1944. He died in the Sudbury area of Suffolk in March 2009, aged 87.
Halifax W1157 was built to contract B982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was delivered directly to 158 Squadron at East Moor on 7th June 1942. It suffered Cat.Ac/FA damage as a result of an accident at East Moor on 5th October 1942. The damage was repaired on site and it was returned to 158 Squadron on 24th November 1942. On 11th December 1942 the aircraft was slightly damaged while taxying at Rufforth resulting in Cat.A/FA damage. A repair on site was made and it was returned to 158 Squadron. The aircraft was transferred to 77 Squadron at Elvington on 11th April 1943. On 13th May 1943 the aircraft sustained battle damage, the crew returned to land at East Moor. Cat.A/FB damage must have been the damage assessment. The aircraft was soon repaired on site. It was lost (Cat.E(m) damage recorded) on 22nd June 1943 on Ops to Krefeld. No trace was ever found of the seven aircrew. The aircraft was struck off charge on 30th June 1943.