Halifax W1212 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.
In the early hours of 1st May 1943 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Snaith airfield at 00.14hrs. The crew bombed on the PFF markers through 10/10ths cloud cover and returned safely to base of Snaith at 04.44hrs but on landing a hole was found in the leading edge of the starboard mainplane probably caused by a flak burst.
Pilot - P/O Claud Robert Wilson RAFVR (144288).
Navigator - P/O Peter Austin Finnett RAFVR (144208).
Air Bomber - Sgt Raymond Airey RAFVR (1477932).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Hall RAFVR (1266320).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Arthur Bernard Anger RAF (650167).
Air Gunner - Sgt Louis Patrick Wooldridge RAF (649746).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Charles Sharp RAFVR (1335696).
Claud Wilson received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 14th March 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazette on 17th August 1943 and was promoted to F/O on 14th September 1943 and to F/Lt on 13th March 1945. While serving with 158 Squadron in North Africa on 12th November 1945 he was killed when Stirling PJ950 crashed on take off from Castek Benito with the loss of 28 men. He is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya.
Peter Finnett received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 28th March 1943. For service with 51 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazette on 14th September 1943. He was promoted to F/O on 28th September 1943 and to F/Lt on 28th March 1945. While serving with 158 Squadron in North Africa on 12th November 1945 he too was killed when Stirling PJ950 crashed on take off from Castek Benito with the loss of 28 men. He is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya.
Donald Hall received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 31st May 1943 (146621) and rose to F/O on 31st November 1943 and F/Lt on 31st May 1945. Postwar he remained in the RAF transferring to the Reserve in January 1950. He relingquished his commission in the RAF Reserve of Officers on 5th June 1952 on appointment to a commission in the RAF as F/Lt on 5th June 1952 but reliquished this commission on 7th February 1958.
Arthur Anger received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 22nd January 1945 (56538).
Louis Wooldridge was born in Stalybridge, Cheshire in 1921 and initially joined the RAF at the start of the War as a mechanic and served as a member of ground crew for 243 Squadron. He later re-mustered to be aircrew and trained in Africa. After serving two Tours with 51 Squadron and 578 Squadron he was awarded the DFC for service with 578 Squadron while in the rank of Warrant Officer, Gazetted on 11th December 1944. He would later write the book "Day Squire - Knight Flier".
Leslie Sharp received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 21st January 1945 (190506). He was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 20th July 1945 and was promoted to F/O on 21st July 1945.
Raymond Airey was awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 10th September 1943. He was granted a commission to P/O on probation (emergency) on 22nd April 1945 (197927) and rose to F/O on 22nd October 1945.
Halifax W1212 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 103 Squadron on 11th July 1942 who were based at Elsham Wolds, where it carried the squadron code "PM-P". The aircraft received minor Cat.Ac/FA damage on 26th August 1942. It was repaired on site and was returned to 103 Squadron charge on 10th October 1942. On 1st November 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 51 Squadron at Snaith. As a result of the battle damage sustained on 1st May 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 17th September 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit at Wigsley. On 30th September 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1668 H.C.U. at Balderton. On 17th November 1943 it received Cat.Ac/FA damage after which it was repaired on site and returned to 1668 H.C.U. charge on 16th December 1943. On 25th January 1944 it was transferred to 1662 H.C.U. at Blyton. On 15th March 1944 the aircraft swung on take off at Blyton and crashed. Cat.E/FA damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge on 15th March 1944. It had clocked up 240 hours total flying time.