Halifax NA611 damaged by flak, returned to East Moor airfield.
During the evening of 13th September 1944 this 415 Squadron aircraft was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Osnabruck marshalling yards when it sustained flak damage to the port tail plane, fuselage and rear turret. The pilot was able to return the aircraft to base and it landed safely at East Moor airfield. The damage took almost a month to repair.
Pilot - F/Lt James Carter Hovey RCAF (J/5100).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Samuel Coulter RAFVR (1825113).
Navigator - F/O Cameron Laird Connell RCAF (J/29976).
Bomb Aimer - P/O A Whittingham RCAF (J/29706).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J A Currie RCAF (R/194593).
Air Gunner - Sgt J A Gordon RCAF (R/209417).
Air Gunner - Sgt Arthur Gilbert Maxham RCAF (R/174413).
Air Gunner - Sgt R E McIntyre RCAF (R/164401).
Hovey, Connell, Whittingham, Currie, Coulter, Gordon and Maxham had flown together earlier in 1944 as a complete crew with 419 Squadron.
F/Lt Hovey commenced Halifax Ops with 415 Squadron on 28th July 1944. This flak incident detailed above took place on his eighth. He was promoted to S/Ldr in late-October 1944 and was awarded the DFC for service with 415 Squadron in December 1944. In all he completed eighteen Halifax Ops with 415 Squadron, with the last being on 30th December 1944. James Hovey later returned home and set up Hovey Machine Products, Walnut Creek, California. He, or someone baring the same name, appears to have continued his flying as on 10th July 1967 he bought former P-51 Mustang 44-74602 which was still airworthy in 2002.
Cameron Connell lived in Warren, Manitoba prior to enlisting in Winnipeg in August 1942. He was recommended for the DFC in December 1944. Notification was printed in the London Gazette on 5th April 1945 but it was not until February 1947 that he was to get the award, having declined to be presented with it it was posted to him. The recommendation reads.. "Throughout his tour, this navigator has been consistently accurate in his work. He has navigated his aircraft to the targets and kept it out of trouble on every occasion. Highly skilled himself, Flying Officer Connell has given unsparingly of his time to assist in the training of other members of his section. Both in the air and on the ground his services have been most valuable."
Arthur Maxham was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1915 but his family moved to Canada allowing his to work in Montreal. He enlisted there in June 1942 and was commissioned in September 1944. He was also awarded the DFC for service with 415 Squadron (Gazetted 25th May 1945), the recommendation for the award, dated 18th January 1945, after he had completed thirty five operational flights reads.. "This officer has completed a very successful tour as Mid-Upper Air Gunner involving attacks on many heavily defended German targets. Although attacked by two enemy aircraft in quick succession, major damage to his aircraft has been averted by his good judgement and accurate fire. Always displaying a high standard of skill and determination, his fine co-operative spirit and devotion to duty have contributed materially both in the air and on the ground."
Halifax NA611 was built to contract ACFT/891 by Fairey Aviation Ltd at Stockport and was received by 45 MU on 1st August 1944. It was taken on charge by 420 Squadron at Tholthorpe on 8th August 1944 but as 420 Squadron were not up to strength it was immediately transferred to 415 Squadron at East Moor on 12th August 1944 to fill a gap there. It sustained flak damage on 15th August 1944 that saw a Cat.A/FB damage assessment. After a repair on site it was again damaged by flak on 13th September 1944, Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired at East Moor. It was written off in an accident, with Cat.E2/Burnt damage recorded, on 14th January 1945 when it crashed on take off at East Moor for an operational flight to bomb Grevonbrioch marshalling yards. The aircraft was struck off charge on 19th January 1945.