Halifax W7818 at Snaith airfield.
At 18.44hrs on 18th February 1943 this 51 Squadron aircraft had just taken off from Snaith airfield for a mine laying flight when an engine failed, losing height the pilot belly landed the aircraft at the edge of Snaith airfield in front of the Squadron Headquarters building. The aircraft was badly damaged but the crew escaped injury. All of the above had been posted to 51 Squadron on 4th January 1943 from 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Fred Hutchinson Haly RAFVR (1318907).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Kenneth George Marks RAF (577633).
Navigator - Sgt Arthur Wright RAFVR (1526625).
Air Bomber - Sgt Charles Leonard Bramfitt RAFVR (1055909).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Peter Woods RAFVR (966365).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard Stanley Baldwin RAFVR (1396686).
Air Gunner - Sgt Cecil James Johnston RAAF (411244).
Halifax W7818 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was initially taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 25th August 1942. They ceased operating the type of Halifax in October 1942 so this aircraft was transferred to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on 22nd October 1942. 103 Squadron ceased operating the type the following month so it was transferred to 51 Squadron at Snaith on 1st November 1942. As a result of this accident at Snaith on 18th February 1943 Cat.E/FB damage was the assessment of the damage and it was struck off charge the following day.
Edward Haly had flown his first operational flight with 10 Squadron as a second pilot in Halifax BB220 on 18th November 1942 with S/Ldr Barratt and crew while training and two more as second pilot on 10 Squadron Ops in November 1942. His name does not appear in 10 Squadron's operation record book in December 1942. He was posted from 1658 HCU to 51 Squadron on 4th January 1943 and would have flown his first Op as captain with 51 Squadron on 18th February 1943 in W7818 had it not crashed soon after taking off as detailed above. His next was a successful mine laying trip in W7772 on 26th February 1943. He receieved a commission on 21st March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was later awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 21st September 1943. On 17th September 1944 he was flying in Halifax BB360 and was probably instructing with 1652 HCU rather than training. BB360 crashed near Angram, York on a training flight and all nine airmen on board were killed. He was twenty three years old and is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. CWGC list him as being the son of John and Edith Marie Haly and the husband of Daphne Pauline Haly, of Wokingham, Berkshire. But with him being originally from British Guiana.
Leonard Baldwin was later posted to 97 PFF Squadron. On 25th August 1944 he was flying Lancaster PB398 on Ops to Darmstadt when the aircraft failed to return to base. All but one of the crew of PB398 were killed and F/Sgt Baldwin is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, he was twenty one years old.
Sgt Charles Bramfitt received a commission on 4th December 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (188031) and received promotion to F/O (war subs) on 4th June 1945.
Sgt Kennth Marks he received a commission on 12th September 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) (53270). He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 12th March 1944 and F/Lt (war subs) on 12th September 1945. Post-War he remained in the RAF and later transferred into the Secretarial Branch. He finally reliquished his commission of S/Ldr on 30th June 1942.
Arthur Wright received a commission on 8th May 1943 (146787) to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and was promoted to F/O on 8th November 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 8th May 1945.
Sgt Cecil Johnston was born on 22nd November 1917 in Alstonville, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney. He was awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 7th December 1943
F/Sgt Peter Woods was later awarded the DFM for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th May 1943. It was a busy month for him as he received a commission two weeks later on 28th May 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(148095). He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 28th November 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 28th May 1945. Post-War he remained in the RAFVR and transferred to the reserve on 28th December 1953. On 6th December 1954 he was appointed to a commission to F/O in the RAF Reserve of Officers but nothing more is known of his service after this date.