Lancaster W4332 damaged by flak, returned to Breighton airfield.
On the night of 20th / 21st April 1943 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb Stettin and left Breighton at 21.30hrs, the target area was well marked by the PFF and this crew reported clear skies during their bombing at 01.20hrs from 12,000ft. The aircraft landed safely at 05.35hrs and a few small flak holes were found in the aircraft.
Pilot - F/Sgt Peter Abernethy Coldham RAAF (401908).
Navigator - P/O Peter Anderson Stevens RAAF (415190).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt George Henry Robinson RAAF (412034).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred Arthur Paul Bland RAFVR (1196861).
Flight Engineer - Sgt G H Coles RAFVR (1215423).
Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Warwick RAFVR (1103095).
Air Gunner - Sgt Gregory Henry Pascoe RAAF (412071).
Lancaster W4332 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V.Roe & Co. Ltd. at Chadderton. It was taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 24th October 1942. It sustained Cat.A/FA damage on 10th December 1942 that was swiftly repaired on site. On an operational flight on 17th / 18th January 1943 on landing the tail wheel assembly mounting beam was found damaged. A modification had not been made to sort the problem. Work started on a repair on site by A.V.Roe Ltd on 21st January 1943 and was returned to 460 Squadron nine days later. As a result of minor operational damage sustained on 28th February 1943 the AM Form 78 states minor Cat.Ac/FB damage was assessed on 1st March 1943 which required a repair on site. It was returned to 460 Squadron on 13th March 1943. Further damage on 21st April 1943 probably resulted in Cat.A/FB damage would have been repaired on site though the AM Form 78 does not mention this incident. On 14th May 1943 460 Squadron moved to Binbrook. On 17th June 1943 crashed on the island of Beverland, Holland on an operational flight to Cologne. It's then crew of seven were killed and Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork.
George Robinson was born on 29th December 1920 in San Souci and when he enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney on 21st June 1941 he was an apprentice carpenter and joiner working for the Dept of Education in their furniture workshops. On arrival in the UK he trained at 1 (O)AFU, 27 OTU and 1656 CU before posting to 460 Squadron on 14th March 1943. He was posted to 156 Squadron the day after this flak incident in April 1943. He was then posted to 19 OTU on 13th October 1943 and later to 27 OTU in March 1944 probably for instructional duties. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on 5th June 1944 and was posted to 466 Squadron on 16th September 1944 to begin a second Tour. He rose to F/O on 5th December 1944. He left 466 Squadron on 4th June 1945 and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 20th July 1945 for service with 466 Squadron. He must have been on one of the first ships home as he recorded in a document in his service record that he was back in Auatralia by the end of July 1945. He died in 1963.
Alfred Bland receieved his commission on 6th August 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), he was later promoted
to F/O on 6th February 1944 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 6th August 1945.
Gregory Pascoe was born on 24th September 1921 in Singleton, New South Wales, Australia and when he enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney
on 21st June 1941 he was working as a grocer's assistant and deliverer. After basic training in Australia he left by ship for the UK in May 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at No.7 AGS begining 9th September 1942, 27 OTU begining 30th September 1943, 1656 CU begining 31st January 1943
and was posted to 460 Squadron on 14th March 1943. He was posted to 156 Squadron on 22nd April 1943 and received a commission to the rank of P/O on 9th September 1943. Havng completed his Tour he was posted to 29 OTU on 5th October 1943 for instructional duties. He was promoted to F/O on 9th March 1944 and
after a brief course at the CGS in November 1944 he was posted to 550 Squadron on 5th December 1944 to begin a second Tour. He appears to have then been posted back to 460 Squadron as Gunnery Leader on 16th June 1945 and was later promoted to F/Lt on 9th September 1945. He was awarded the DFC for service 6th November 1945 for service with 550 Squadron.
Peter Stevens was born on 22nd October 1919 in Albany, Western Australia. When he enlisted into the RAAF in Perth on 21st July 1941 he was working as a school teacher. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 30th April 1942 and left Australia in June 1942 by ship. On arrival in the UK he trained at 1 (O)AFU begining 18th September 1942, 27 OTU begining 1st October 1942 and was promoted to F/O on 20th October 1942. He then trained at 1656 CU begining 18th February 1943 before being posted to 460 Squadron on 14th March 1943. All of the crew involved in the flak incident on 21st April 1943 were posted to 156 Squadron the next day, he first flew operationally with them on 4th May 1943 and up until 20th December 1943 he had flown 37 operational flights with them.
He was awarded the DFC for service with 156 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th October 1943 and later was awarded the Bar to the DFC for further service with 156 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th February 1944. After a Tour with 156 Squadron he was posted to 97 Squadron as navigation leader on 17th January 1944. He was on board Lancaster NE121 on 30th July 1944 in support of the resent D-Day landings when the aircraft was hit by flak and was partly abandoned before it crashed, he survived and was made a PoW. He was in the rank of Acting S/Ldr at the time having been promoted to F/Lt on 20th April 1944.
F/Sgt Norman Warwick died on 11th September 1944 while flying with 156 Squadron, he was on board Lancaster ND534 which crashed while flying Ops to Gelsenkirchen. He was thirty years old and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Peter Coldham was born in Sydney on 18th February 1919, he studied law at Melbourne University and was a member of the Melbourne University Rifles prior to his enlisting into the RAAF in April 1941 in Sydney. He was posted to 156 Squadron the day after this flak incident and was awarded the DFC for service with them, Gazetted on 19th October 1943. He was later awarded the Bar to the DFC for service with 156 Squadron, Gazetted on 8th February 1944. He died in 1995.