Halifax LW197 damaged in the air, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
National Archives file "AIR14/3310" gives a series of questions from the Operational Research Section "O.R.S. Damage Inspector" to No.6 Group H.Q. and replies in respect of damage to No.6 Group aircraft that sustained damage on operational sorties where damage was mentioned in squadron raid reports but not in other reporting methods. Upon checking the squadron records the damage to some of these aeroplanes is mentioned but other entries have no damage recorded against them. In the case of those where no further reference can be found I have made a note on each specific webpage.
AIR14/3310 gives a reply from No.6 Group H.Q. that suggests that on 21st June 1944 Halifax LW197 of 426 Squadron sustained flak damage. The 426 Squadron ORB (AIR27/1842/12) does not mention any damage occurring. It stated that during the evening of 21st June 1944 the crew of this 426 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb a target at St.Martin L'Hortier. The crew took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at 17.25hrs and released their bomb load on to the target by the crew visually from 15,000 feet at 19.44hrs. The crew returned to Linton on Ouse airfield and landed at 21.58hrs. While there is no mention of flak damage being sustained in the unit records damage looks probable.
Pilot - W/C Eric Colquhoun Hamber RCAF (C/1625).
Navigator - F/O S G Philp RCAF (J/22605).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt K T Korber RCAF (R/158079).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Lt Fred Cowling DFC RAFVR (138504).
Air Gunner - P/O William Frank Minton RAFVR (178244).
Air Gunner - Sgt John Rendle Loyst RCAF (R/188439).
Flight Engineer - P/O Alfred Roy Kemp RAFVR (178483).