Halifax NA600 damaged by flak, landed at East Moor airfield.
During the evening of 11th September 1944 this 415 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb a synthetic oil plant at Castrop Rauxel and took off from East Moor airfield at 16.18hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 19,500 feet at 18.45hrs and while over the target the aircraft sustained flak damage to the starboard wing and fuselage. Despite the damage the crew returned to East Moor and landed at 21.18hrs.
Pilot - P/O Donald Roy Andrews RCAF (J/87068).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Hugh Benedict Grant RAFVR (3020155).
Navigator - F/O J G Willis RCAF (J/25209).
Bomb Aimer - W/O J R Pelletier RCAF (R/161144).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Edwin Harvey Bright RAFVR (179155).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt J E MacDonald RCAF (R/183347).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt J J Conroy RCAF (R/187944).
Air Gunner - Sgt A W Sidon RCAF (R/271316).
Donald Andrews was born in Toronto in 1921, he enlisted there in April 1942 and received a commision in 1944. He and his crew commenced Halifax operations with 415 Squadron on 28th July 1944 and was involved in a take off accident which destroyed Halifax MZ686 on what would have been their very first operational flight. This flak incident detailed above took place on Andrews' thirteenth and he went on to complete sixteen with one false start with 415 Squadron with the last being on 6th October 1944. He was recommended for the DFC in mid-October 1944 for service with 415 Squadron when he had flown a total of thirty three operational flights between 24th April 1944 and 15th September 1944. The DFC was granted and notification appeared in the London Gazette on 19th January 1945 but was not presented until 30th November 1949 in Toronto. There was no citation for his DFC as such but the recommendation added more detail, it reads.. "Pilot Officer Andrews has participated in very many attacks on targets important to the enemy's war effort. He has displayed great determination and his skilful efforts have contributed materially to the successes obtained. On several occasions the aircraft in which he was flying has been damaged by enemy action, but his keenness for operations remains unabated. Pilot Officer Andrews has set a good example of courage and devotion to duty." I thank his grandson Mr Stephen Andrews for contacting me in 2012 and kindly suppying the photograph shown above.
Halifax NA600 was built to contract ACFT/891 by Fairey Aviation Ltd at Stockport and was delivered to 415 Squadron at East Moor on 21st July 1944 as a spare aircraft. It was allocated as a replacement for MZ686 which was written off on 28th July 1944. NA600 commenced Ops on 3rd August 1944 and quickly became the regular aircraft of P/O Andrews. This incident detailed above took place on the aircraft's eighteenth operational flight. Repairs were quickly completed. When P/O Andrews was posted out of 415 Squadron F/O J Tims took over as the regular pilot and the aircraft completed a total of thirty nine operational flights with 415 Squadron before being replaced by NA186. After a major service at YARD and a period of storage NA600 was issued to the newly re-formed 187 Squadron at Merryfield in Transport Command on 1st February 1945. The unit never became operational on the Halifax, re-equipping with Dakotas in April 1945 so NA600 was flown to MU storage where it remained until sold for scrap and broken up. It was finally struck off charge on 25th January 1947.