ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 302625
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| Date: | Saturday 17 April 1943 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 10 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | DT791 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | between Meridian Road and Offham Road, Landport, Lewes -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Melbourne, North Yorkshire |
On 17 April 1943 HP Halifax Mk. II DT791 of 10 Squadron took off from RAF Melbourne on a bombing raid to Pilsen, Czechslovakia. On its return flight it suffered two engine failures. Both were due to flak. The port outboard engine was hit by flak over the target. The port inboard engine was hit by flak over the French coast. Flying on the two remaining starboard wing engines (no doubt generating problems of asymmetric flight), it managed to cross the Channel but crash landed between Meridian Road and Offham Road, Landport, Lewes, East Sussex. All seven crew suffered injury, and were taken to Lewes Hospital, but there were no fatalities. The crew of the Halifax were:
Pilot - F/Lt Joseph Richard Wood RAF (43373). Richard Wood received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st April 1940 and then rose to F/O on 1st April 1941 and to F/Lt on 1st April 1942. For service with 10 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th October 1943. He was later awarded the Bar to the DFC for a further Tour with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 21st April 1944. He remained in the RAF until 28th June 1958.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Frederick William Beare RAFVR (160081). Frederick Beare was awarded the DFM for service with 614 Squadron, Gazetted on 25th August 1944.
Navigator - P/O Kenneth Frank Whynes RAFVR (130157).Kenneth Whynes received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 12th October 1942, he rose to F/O on 12th April 1943 and F/Lt on 12th October 1945. He remained in the RAF until at least 1955. (NCO:1393626 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 01 December, 1942)
Bomb Aimer - P/O Cyril George Stepney RAFVR (127278). Cyril Stepney received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 20th July 1942 and rose to F/O on 20th February 1943. He was later posted to 35 Squadron but was killed on 18th November 1943 while flying in Halifax HR676 on Ops to Mannheim. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - P/O Charles Lloyds Walshaw RAFVR (143113).Charles Walshaw received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th March 1943 and rose to F/O on 6th September 1943. For service with 10 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 16th November 1945. He rose to F/Lt on 6th March 1945 and was Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1946. He remained in the RAF until 30th June 1954. (NCO:143113 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 18 May, 1943)
Air Gunner - Sgt Percy Cyril O'Kill RAFVR (1392579). Percy O'Kill was killed flying with 10 Squadron on 7th September 1943 in Halifax JD166 on Ops to Munich when the aircraft was badly damaged by a night fighter. He and his then pilot were killed and the rest of his then crew became PoWs. He is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany and was twenty one years old.
Air Gunner - P/O W E Pay.
Halifax DT791 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Melbourne on 4th February 1943. As a result of flak damage on both 12th March 1943 and then on 4th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage each time which saw it repaired on site each time. On 17th April 1943 it crashed near Lewis, Sussex on return from an operational flight to Plzen, all the crew were injured (as per the above). The damage was assessed as being Cat.E2/FB Burnt and it was written off.
Sources:
1. 10 Squadron Combat Reports April 1943: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 50/294/30 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7466439
2. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york43/dt791.html
3. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235107843-halifax-dt971-10-sq-crashed-17-april-1943-pic-and-some-questions/ [photo of crash]
4. https://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=20178.0
5. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_in_the_South_East.pdf
6. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Apr-2024 07:10 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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