Halifax W1251 at Topcliffe airfield.
At 15.00hrs on 25th August 1943 this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was in the process of taking off from Topcliffe for a training flight when a port inner propeller blade broke off, it struck the port side of the fuselage but did not injury any of the crew. It was found that a casting on the No.2 propeller blade housing was fractured. Minor damage to the aircraft resulted to the fuselage, the port inner engine mounting and the engine.
Instructor Pilot - P/O Maurice Marment DFM RNZAF (NZ.41922).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt "N Mitchell" RCAF (R/126082). (Probably Sgt Harold Wallace Mitchell RCAF).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt Stuart Ross Kelso RCAF (R/124280).
Maurice Marment was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1919 and enlisted for RNZAF service in 1941. For service with 408 squadron he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 6th April 1943. The recommendation for his award was very detailed and stated "Since coming to this squadron in April 1942, Flight Sergeant Marment has carried out operations against some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany. These operations included sorties to: Gardening (8), Bremen (2), Turin (1). Dusseldorf (1), Nuremburg (1), Nickelling (1), Hamburg (1), Flensburg (1), Lorient (2), Stuttgart (2), Emden (1), Saarbrucken (3), Frankfort (1), Essen (1). Throughout his tour of operations, Flight Sergeant Marment has shown great courage, skill, determination and action and has been an inspiration to his crew. On the night of the 11th March 1943, while returning from Stuttgart, his aircraft was attacked by a night fighter and immediately his starboard outer and port inner engines were put out of commission. This was 150 miles south of the French coast. He made his way out of enemy territory on two engines, crossing the English coast at Rye, and forward heavy effort to make base in Yorkshire. When over the Midlands, one of his good engines showed signs of packing up where he carried out a successful belly landing. His aircraft was practically riddled with bullet holes. His ability to make instantaneous decisions in emergency, skilful pilotage and cool judgement contributed largely to the success of this operational flight." I credit Hugh Halliday with this information.
Stuart Kelso was born on 31st October 1921 at Roblin, Manitoba, Canada and was the son of William Ross and Marjory Mabel (nee Kelly) Kelso. He enlisted for RCAF service on 29th August 1941 at Winnipeg and after training in Canada was awarded his pilot's wings on 23rd October 1942. On arrival in the UK in early 1943 he trained at 15 (P)AFU and 23 OTU then was posted to 429 Squadron in June 1943. 429 Squadron was flying Wellingtons at that time but a few weeks later their aircrew began conversion training to fly four engined aircraft at 1659 HCU. He was undertaking this conversion training when the mishap at Topcliffe occurred on 25th August 1943. He was then posted back to 429 Squadron on 12th September 1943. He was killed on 4th December 1943 flying Halifax JD374 on Ops to Leipzig and is buried in Sage War Cemetery.
Harold Mitchell was posted back to 429 Squadron in 9th September 1943. He was awarded the DFC for service with 429 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th December 1943.
Halifax W1251 was built to contract B982938/39 by English Elecric Co.Ltd at Samlesbury and was delivered directly to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on 9th August 1942 but was soon transferred to 158 Squadron at East Moor in mid-August 1942. Following this flak incident the damage was recorded as Cat.A(c)/FB. It was repaired on site and was returned to service by 13th September 1942. It suffered further damage (Cat.B/FB) on 6th October 1942 when on return from Ops to Aachen, the aircraft suffered an undercarriage collapse on landing at Manston. It was repaired in works and on completion of repair it was issued to 1659 H.C.U. at Topcliffe on an unknown date in mid-1943. It sustained minor damage on 25th August 1943 when a propeller blade on the port inner propeller broke off while the aircraft was taking off and struck the fuselage. It was repaired on site at Topcliffe, with Cat.A damage being the likely damage assessment. It was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded on 6th November 1943 when the aircraft suffered an engine fire which resulted in the break up of a wing and the resulting crash on the Isle of Man.