Lancaster W4783 (probably) damaged by bombs from above, returned to Breighton airfield.
On the night of 13th / 14th April 1943 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing and left Breighton at 20.30hrs. They attacked Spezia at
01.52hrs which was already marked by the PFF flares but sea fog effected visibility for the main bomber force. The windscreen of
the Lancaster was "shattered by below average bombing partly due to fog" (I am not sure what this means, possibly a bomber flying
above W4783 dropped it's bombs and one struck W4783?). The Lancaster made a safe return to Breighton and landed at 06.39hrs.
Pilot - F/Sgt Jack Neville Murray RAAF (403067), of Rose Bay, Sydney, Australia.
Navigator - WO Claremont Logie Taylor RAAF (405237), of Sandgate, Queesland, Australia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Reginald Dodds RAAF (403838), of Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Cyril Bentham RAFVR (936181).
Bomb Aimer - WO Thomas Edmund Osborn RAAF (411076), of Tuggerah Lakes, New South Wales, Australia.
? - F/Sgt Owen Frederick Hurrell Hodgen RAAF (405356).
? - F/Sgt John Albert Kirby RAAF (405246), of Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia.
? - Sgt James RAAF.
Jack Murray was born on 13th November 1918 in Waverley, New South Wales. He was a profficient rower whilst at college. He
enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney and was awarded the DFM for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th June 1943.
Claremont Taylor was born on 29th August 1922 in Sandgate, Queensland and enlisted into the RAAF in Queensland. He was
awarded the DFC for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th June 1943. He was on board Liberator A72-124 on 14th February 1945
while attached to 25 Squadron RAAF in Western Australia, the crew had been tasked with
locating survivors of the US motor vessel "SS Peter Sylvester" which was torpedoed by German U-Boat on 6th February 1945 off Fremantle.
The Liberator crashed while taking off from Cunderdin airfield and five crew members were killed in the crash. He survived the crash
and recovered from his injuries but was discharged from the RAAF later that year. He died in September 2004. During his time with 460
Squadron there are unconfirmed reports that he baled out of a Lancaster but the details surrounding this are not yet known.
Owen Hodgen was born on 29th April 1911 in Toowoomba, Queensland and enlisted into the RAAF in Brisbane. A Thomas Cunnah
Hogden died serving with 460 Squadron on 4th August 1942 and must be related to Owen Hodgen.
Jack Dodds was born on 16th April 1917 in Kempsey, New South Wales and was a school teacher prior to enlisting into the RAAF on 3rd March 1941 in Sydney.
On arrival in the UK he trained at No.1 Signal School begining 29th January 1942, 15 OTU begining 17th March 1942 and to No.1 O.A.D.U. and to the M.E.Command (Middle East Command) in June 1942. Between June and August 1942 he was almost certainly involved in the ferrying of aircraft to North Africa via Gibraltar and Malta. On 19th August 1942 he was back at 15 OTU and was then posted to 27 OTU on 15th September 1942 to re-train to fly in Bomber Command. This posting was brief as he was posted to 460 Squadron on 22nd September 1942, he converted to Lancasters at 1656 CU in late October /early November 1942 and was posted back to 460 Squadron on 10th November 1942. On completion of his Tour he was posted to 1662 CU in May 1943 to serve as an instructor. He received his commission to P/O on 27th August 1943. On 15th January 1944 he was posted to 156 Squadron and begun his second Tour of operational flying a month later, he was later promoted to F/O on 27th February 1944. He was killed on 28th April 1944 flying in Lancaster ND409 on Ops to Greidrichschaffen when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter and all of the crew were killed. He was twenty seven years old and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. A long time after his death he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 18th December 1945 but back dated to 26th April 1944.
Cyril Bentham was also posted to 156 Squadron later in 1943. He was awarded the DFM while with 156 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd June 1944
He later received his commission on 21st July 1944 (179845) to the rank of P/O on probation and was promoted to F/O on 21st January 1945.
Thomas Osborn was awarded the DFC for service with 460 Squadron, Gaztted on 15th October 1943.
John Kirby was born on 25th March 1915 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales and enlisted into the RAAF in Brisbane. He awarded the DFM for service with 460 Squadron, Gazetted on 11th June 1943. He last flew operationally with 460 Squadron 19th/20th February 1944 with S/Ldr Utz. He died on "30th March 1944" although the NAA links him as flying in Lancaster ND553 which crashed in Cambridgeshire on a training flight but on 30th April 1944. His grave is with those who died and buried in Cambridge on 30th April 1944. ND553 was on charge with 460 Squadron but Kirby may well have been serving with the Bombing Development Unit as others on ND553 were. I would welcome more information surrounding how he died.
Lancaster W4783 was built to contract B.69275/40 by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd. at Trafford Park, Manchester and was awaiting collection in October 1942. It was taken on charge by 460 Squadron on 22nd October 1942. As a result of damage sustained on 17th December 1942 minor Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Breighton. It was slightly damaged by flak on 17th January 1943 and was repaired on site. On 14th April 1943 it sustained further Cat.A/FB damage when the cockpit windscreen was shattered, possibly after being hit by falling bombs from above. Again it was repaired on site and moved with 460 Squadron to Binbrook on 14th May 1943. On 3rd July 1943 it received minor Cat.Ac/FB battle damage that was repaired on site and it was returned to 460 Squadron on 4th August 1943. On 31st May 1944 the aircraft was flown to A.V. Roe and Co. Ltd. at Woodford for major repair. In October 1944 it was transferred to the RAAF and re-serialled 'A66-2'. On 11th October 1944 it commenced the long flight to Australia and arrived in Brisbane on 8th November 1944. Once there the next day it was flown to No.3 Aircraft Depot at Amberley. Between late 1944 and July 1945 it was used on a fund raising tour of Australia. In July 1945 it was flown into outside storage at RAAF Fairbairn, Canberra. In the early 1950's a decision was made to preserve the aircraft and work commenced to prepare it for display. It is still housed at Canberra A.W.M. where it can be seen today.