On 4th January 1943 this 102 Squadron Halifax was approaching East Moor airfield with the intention of landing as part of the training excerise having set out from Pocklington two hours twenty minutes previously. Whilst flying at 500 feet the port inner engine failed due to a fracturing of a bolt in the port outer propeller. The pilot was not aware of which engine was at fault immediately so feathered the port inner engine first, with the intention of restarting it if the port outer needed to be stopped. At the height they were flying he did not have enough time to restart it, height was lost so he made the decision to force-land, wheels up, near Alcar Farm, Huby at 14.10hrs. The damaged aircraft was later inspected and written off due to the damage it had sustained. After investigation it was considered that the pilot had made the right choice in making a force landing when he did. He was a relatively experienced pilot on the Halifax, with 200 hours to his name on the type.
Pilot - WO2 John Fielding Wrench Towse RCAF (R/72402), of Oakville, Toronto, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt William Alexander Gardiner RCAF (J/17445), of Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Thomas Tuck RAAF (411060), of Coogee, New South Wales, Australia.
Navigator - F/Sgt Eric Lee RAFVR (1012981).
? - Sgt K/P H Kirkpatrick.
? - Sgt A T Raine (probably Sgt Arthur Thomas Raine RAFVR (998435)).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Douglas William Mugleston RAFVR (903588).
Halifax W7910 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Pocklington on 27th October 1942. As a result of battle damage sustained on 20th December 1942 Cat.A/FB was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site at Pocklington. On 4th January 1943 it crash landed near Huby when both port engines stopped mid-flight, the damage was initially assessed as being Cat.E1/FA that should have seen it written off. A team from Handley Page recovered the aircraft and on 7th January 1943 they made a further assessment of the damage downgrading it to Re-Cat.B. A repair must have then started but on 22nd March 1943 it was again assessed, possibly after internal damage was located, and it was then deemed beyond repair at Re-Cat.E and struck off charge on that date.
John Towse was born in 1917 in Toronto and lived in "Orillia" or "Oakville" before enlisting in Toronto on 24th September 1940. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted 15th June 1943, while serving with 102 Squadron and was invested with his DFC by King George VI on 21st March 1944. His DFC citation reads.."Warrant Officer Towse has a long operational record of attacks against a wide variety of targets and has been conspicuous for sustained courage, determination and endurance. He has been successful in attaining the primary objective on most occasions. A very capable and reliable captain of aircrew, this airman has earned the confidence of his crew by whom he has been a source of inspiration."By May 1944 he was serving as a flying instructor at 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Topcliffe. He survived the War and later returned home where he died in Ottawa on 20th October 1988.
F/Lt William Gardiner was awarded the DFC, Gazetted 17th July 1945 for his high number of operational fights flown during the War. He was born in 1919 in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia and lived there and worked as a miner and was a former member of the Royal Canadian Artillery when he enlisted in Halifax on 6th January 1941. He was commissioned in 1943. There was no citation for his DFC as such but when he was recommended for the DFC on 19th March 1945 when he had flown forty two operational flights (281 hours, 25 minutes). His first tour dates from 11th August 1942 with 102 Squadron to 13th May 1943. His second Tour began on 27th December 1944 with 427 Squadron. The recommendation reads.. "This Bomb Aimer has completed forty-two operational bombing attacks against the enemy, fifteen of these on his second tour. On all his sorties Flight Lieutenant Gardiner has proved himself to be an outstanding Bomb Aimer, bringing back photographs of an excellent calibre. He possesses coolness and displays exceptional fearlessness in the face of danger, and by his courage, skill and determination in action has been an inspiration to his crew. At all times Flight Lieutenant Gardiner has been an example of cheerful courage, unselfishness and sacrifice and in view of his splendid record I most highly recommend that he be awarded a non-immediate Distinguished Flying Cross."
Albert Tuck was born on 30th October 1915 in Paddington, New South Wales and he enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney on 31st March 1941. After arriving in the UK he trained at 14 OTU begining on 17th March 1942 and was posted to 102 Squadron on 18th July 1942. He was later posted to 35 Squadron PFF on 19th March 1943 and received a commission to P/O on 25th March 1943 rising to F/O on
13th September 1943. On 24th July 1943 he was on board Halifax HR803 which had just taken off for Ops to Hamburg from Graveley airfield when it crashed near the village of Great Paxton after loosing power in two of it's four engines. No injuries were reported. On 28th September 1943 he flying as Mid Upper Gunner in Halifax HR907 on Ops to Hanover when the aircraft was attacked and damaged by a night-fighter after bombing the target. Albert Tuck was seriously injured in the left hand side of his body and in the left leg by cannon fire from the enemy aircraft and was unable to leave his turret. It was also likely that the rear gunner had also been killed instantly as a result of the attack. The aircraft also suffered damage to three engines and to the throttle control quadrant in the cockpit which prevented the pilot from being able to control any of the engines and it became obvious the crew would have to bale out when one of the engines caught fire. The pilot then ordered other members of the crew to try and free Albert Tuck but they were unable to. With the aircraft loosing height he then ordered everyone on the aircraft to bale out which those who were not trapped managed did sucessfully. Unfortunately the aircraft crashed onto a farmhouse at Schroettinghausen and exploded. Albert Tuck was still in the aircraft at the time of the crash, both his and the remains of the rear gunner were recovered and initially buried locally but later re-interred in Hannover War Cemetery. Four of the five crew were taken prisoner of war, however their
pilot, P/O Nicholas J Matich DFM RNZAF (414658) managed to evade capture.
The events surrounding this incident are recorded in documents held in the Australian National Archives, one of the crew who gave statements regarding Albert Tuck being stuck in the turret changed his story on three occasions. For some reason he opted to inform the pilot that Tuck had freed himself and had left the aircraft via rear escape hatch, which was clearly a lie. He informed other members of the crew that he was unable to get back to his turret and on a further statement the (probable) true events of attempting to free him but had finally given up on the orders of his pilot to save their lives. Albert Tuck was twenty seven years old and is now buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. He was recommended for the DFC prior to his death but the notification did not appear in the London Gazette until after his death on 19th October 1943, the citation for his DFC reads.."F/O Tuck has given evidence of his sound knowledge of his duties as Wireless Operator / Air Gunner in many successful sorties. Many of these have been attacks on strongly fortified objectives in enemy territory. This officer’s coolness and fearlessness have been the source of great confidence to his crew." His pilot, Nicholas Matich, evaded capture and in 1944 returned to 35 Squadron, he was awarded the DSO for service with them in 1944. He survived the War and returned home to his native New Zealand.
Douglas Mugleston was serving at Wombleton airfield by the time he received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 13th September 1943. He rose to F/O on 13th March 1944 and to F/Lt on 13th September 1945. He was Mentioned in Despatches in June 1945 and died in Ipswich in 1973.
Eric Lee later received a commission and was awarded the DFC for service with 139 Squadron, Gazetted during August 1944.
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