Wellington X3790 damaged by flak, returned to Topcliffe airfield.
This 424 Squadron aircraft took off from Topcliffe airfield at 19.07hrs on 5th March 1943 to undertake an operational flight to bomb Essen, the crew released their bomb load over the target area at 21.20hrs from 18,000ft but due to haze and smoke they could not see where they landed. The aircraft was hit buy flak in the elevators and in the tail plane but the pilot was able to make a safe return to Topcliffe and landed safely at 00.53hrs on 6th March 1943.
Pilot - F/Sgt Gerald Bernard Leddy RCAF (R/77767).
Navigator - P/O C J James.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Robert Miskimmin RAFVR (1148969).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Aubrey William Alexander Burnell RAFVR (1376402).
Air Gunner - Sgt Archibald Rudd RAFVR (1302486).
Bomb Aimer - "P/O A W F Moore". (Probably F/O Arnold William Francis Moore RAFVR (127124).
Wellington X3790 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate and was awaiting collection in April 1942. It was received by 18 MU on 19th April 1942 and was placed into storage. It was taken on charge by 466 Squadron at Driffield on 29th October 1942 two weeks after the squadron formed. On 29th November 1942 it was transferred to 424 Squadron at Topcliffe and sustained Cat.A/FA damage there on 29th December 1942. It was repaired on site and returned to 424 Squadron on 25th January 1943. On 6th March 1943 it sustained flak damage on Ops and sustained Cat.A/FB damage. It was repaired on site and returned to 424 Squadron use on 3rd April 1943. On 16th April 1943 it was transferred to 26 OTU at Wing when 424 Squadron ceased operating the Wellington Mk.III type. The aircraft was destroyed on 7th August 1943 when it flew into houses at Winslow, Buckinghamshire. Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded and it was written off.
Aubrey Burnell received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 29th May 1944 (177502). He was serving with 97 Squadron on 21st July 1944 when Lancaster PA979 failed to return from Ops to Courtrai and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was twenty four years old.
Gerald Leddy was born in Lafleche, Saskatchewan in 1921 but was living in Calgary when he enlisted into the RCAF in December 1943. He was later awarded the DFC for service with 424 Squadron, Gazetted on 30th November 1943. The citation for his award refers to a ditching off Tunisia on 1st October 1943, as located by Hugh Halliday it reads.. "This officer has completed a number of operational sorties against major targets in Germany and Italy. In October 1943, during an attack on the Italian mainland, he was forced by engine trouble to bring his aircraft down on the sea. His skill and coolness on this occasion enabled his whole crew to escape with only minor injuries. Flight Lieutenant Leddy was, on another occasion, forced to make a crash landing in the desert. This he also accomplished without incident. He has proved himself to be a most capable captain." He died on 23rd March 1944 while serving at 22 OTU as an instructor when Wellington HF732 crashed at Sywell and is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
Archibald Rudd received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 14th September 1943 (159685) and rose to F/O (war subs) on 14th March 1944 and F/Lt on 14th September 1945.
Robert Miskimmin received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 21st September 1943 (161278) and rose to F/O (war subs) on 21st March 1944 and F/Lt on 21st September 1945. He remained in the RAF at least until May 1956 when he was transferred to a permanent direct commission as F/O.
Arnold Moore received a commission on 8th August 1942 to the rank of /O on probation (emergency) and rose to F/O on 8th February 1943 and F/Lt on 8th August 1944.