Halifax MZ654 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
On 12th August 1944 this 415 Squadron aircraft took off from East Moor at 10.45hrs tasked with bombing ammunition dumps at Mont Richard. The crew released their bomb load at 14.03hrs from 16,500 feet. During the course of the flight it sustained flak damage to the port rudder while flying at 16,500 feet but the pilot was able to return safely to East Moor and land at 16.50hrs.
Pilot - F/O J L Britt RCAF (J/85060).
Navigator - F/Sgt J C Pape RCAF (R/167161).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Ronald Blau RAFVR (1452214).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O A Gray RCAF (J/29873).
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt D G Barrett RCAF (R/207756).
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt W Bridle RCAF (R/190664).
Flight Engineer - F/Sgt George Ramsbottom RAFVR (1589010).
Dorsal Gunner - Sgt C A Roy RCAF (R/257891).
P/O Britt and his crew commenced Ops with 415 Squadron on 9th August 1944 and this incident took place on the pilot's third operational flight. He went on to complete twenty five with 415 Squadron with the last being on 24th December 1944. The crew sustained further damages when on Ops. On 3rd September their aircraft sustained flak damage in the bomb doors, on 12th / 13th October 1944 MZ947 was hit by flak on Ops, on 21st/22nd November 1944 MZ586 was attacked by an enemy aircraft and damaged and on 27th/28th November 1944 they were hit by flak in the port fuselage and landed at Attlebridge on their return because of poor weather in Yorkshire.
Ronald Blau received a commission on 11th September 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) (185499). He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 11th March 1945. He remained in the RAFVR post-War and rose to F/Lt on 11th March 1948. He relinquished his commission on appointment to the RAF on 7th May 1951 and having dropped a rank he rose again to F/Lt on 26th April 1953. He retired on 28th November 1961. He was possibly born in Grimsby in 1922.
Halifax MZ654 was built to contract ACFT/2553 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was delivered to 432 Squadron at East Moor on 10th May 1944. On 29th June 1944 it received a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment. The squadron records do not mention any damage sustained on Ops on this date so how the damage occurred is not yet known. The aircraft was repaired on site and was returned to 432 Squadron on 15th July 1944 but appears to have been transferred to 415 Squadron immediately. Any mention of the aircraft ever being with 415 Squadron is missing from the aircraft's AM Form 78. As a result of flak damage sustained on 12th August 1944 it received a Cat.A/FB damage assessment. It was repaired on site with repairs complete by 14th August 1944 when it was next used on Ops. The aircraft was transferred to 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit at Wombleton on 3rd November 1944 before moving to 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit at Dishforth on 3rd December 1945. On the night of 3rd / 4th February 1945 it was attacked by an enemy aircraft during "Operation Gisela" and while the crew landed at Dishforth the aircraft was badly damaged. It received a Cat.B/FB damage assessment that required a repair on site by Handley Page. On 16th March 1945 it was re-assessed and deemed beyond repair. Re.Cat.E damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge on 14th May 1945.