Lancaster near East Moor.
On the night of 2nd/3rd December 1943 the crew of this Lancaster were tasked with Ops to Berlin, this aircraft was damaged by
cannon and machine-gun fire from an unknown aircraft on the return. The pilot managed to shake the (presumed) enemy aircraft
off but not before the mid-upper turret was
knocked out of action and pressure lines damaged. On landing at East Moor the aircraft overshot the runway
and ran into the fields beyond, where it was destroyed at 00.35hrs. Whilst there is no mention of it running into trees,
the map reference in the police report
suggests that it did. This record also gives slightly differing information, stating it "force landed near the Wigginton to Sheriff Hutton road",
but technically there is not a road
between the two places! The crew were ok, the aircrafts propellers and undercarriage was damaged. Who was exactly in this crew is open to some
questioning at present, two books quote different names. The best guess is shown below.
The aircraft's history is brief, it was built to contract AC 239 by Armstrong Whitworth at Baginton and delivered
to MU for preparation in October 1943 and was issued to 432 Sqdn at East Moor the following month. It was destroyed in the incident detailed above
with Cat. E2/FB being recorded on 3rd December 1943.
Pilot - F/O C V Wales RCAF.
Nav - F/Sgt J S Evans RAF.
AB - Sgt W J T Garvey RAF.
WOp/AG - Sgt John H Aplin RAFVR, of Kingsford, New Sout Wales, Australia.
FEng - Sgt J Dickinson RAF.
RG - F/Lt Guy H Rainville DFM RCAF. His wife lived at Port Perry, Quebec, Canada.
MUG - Sgt D Thomas RAF, injured ? He does not appear on 432 Sqdn records again.
""This airman is employed as an air gunner. He has at all times displayed
exemplary qualities and his work had been completed in an assuming yet forceful manner. By his skill and teamwork
he has played a good part in the success of the crews with whom he has flown. He has participated in attacks on
dockyard installations and industrial targets both in Germany and German occupied territory. His courage and
tenacity have been noteworthy"".
The Public Records Office file Air 2/9598 has the recommendation for the Award though the date is missing, he is listed as completing
38 Ops (188 hours 35 minutes) when the DFM was awarded with the following recommendation..
""F/Sgt Rainville has completed 38 sorties against the enemy, 31 of which were with this squadron. His determination
in the execution of his duties account in a large part for this number of sorties. He displayed at all times most exemplary
qualities and his work was carried out in an unassuming yet forceful manner. His cool and cooperative execution of his
duties while on operations has played a great part in the successes of the crews with which he has flown."" and ""F/Sgt Rainville
is of French-Canadian descent, and as such he has set a fine example for future French-Canadian aircrew.
His ability, courage, tenacity and coolness qualify him for official recognition"".
The following is a list of these Ops.
20th Oct 41 Antwerp (docks)
23th Oct 41 Kiel (docks)
7th Nov 41 Essen (industrial)
30th Nov 41 Hamburg (docks)
28th Dec 41 Wilhelmshaven (docks)
9th Jan 42 Brest (docks)
17th Jan 42 Bremen (docks)
20th Oct 41 Antwerp (docks)
23rd Oct 41 Kiel (docks)
7th Nov 41 Essen (industrial)
30th Nov 41 Hamburg (docks)
28th Dec 41 Wilhelmshaven (docks)
9th Jan 42 Brest (docks)
17th Jan 42 Bremen (docks)
1st Mar 42 Dinghy search, North Sea
8th Mar 42 Essen (industrial)
10th Mar 42 Essen (industrial)
25th Mar 42 Essen (industrial)
28th Mar 42 Essen (industrial)
8th Apr 42 Hamburg (docks)
10th Apr 42 GARDENING, Dutch Coast
12th Apr 42 Essen (industrial)
14th Apr 42 Dortmund (industrial)
15th Apr 42 Dortmund (industrial)
15th Apr 42 Cologne (industrial)
22nd Apr 42 Dortmund (industrial)
24th Apr 42 Rostock (industrial)
26th Apr 42 Rostock (industrial)
2nd May 42 Larochelle (docks)
4th May 42 Stuttgart (industrial)
17th May 42 Borkum (industrial)
19th May 42 Mannheim (industrial)
21st May 42 Lorient (docks)
24th Apr 42 Rostock (industrial)
26th Apr 42 Rostock (industrial)
2nd May 42 Larochelle (docks)
4th May 42 Stuttgart (industrial)
17th May 42 Borkum (industrial)
19th May 42 Mannheim (industrial)
21st May 42 Lorient (docks)
30th May 42 Cologne (industrial)
2nd June 42 Essen (industrial)
6th June 42 Emden (industrial)
8th June 42 Essen (industrial)
18th June 42 Emden (industrial)
19th June 42 Emden (industrial)
21st June 42 Borkum (industrial)
22nd June 42 Emden (industrial)
25th June 42 Bremen (docks)
27th June 42 Bremen (docks)
29th June 42 Bremen (docks)
2nd July 42 Bremen (docks)
8th July 42 Wilhelmshaven (docks)
Nothing much is yet known about the crew apart from F/Lt Rainville. All bar Sgt Dickinson were on board Lancaster DS850 on 14th January
1944 when it was hit by an IB from above which holed the aircrafts fuel tanks.
The crew were ordered
to bale out, two were killed including Sgt Aplin who is buried in Reichswald War Cemetery and was 21 years old. The rest became PoW's.
F/Lt Rainville's DFM was gained whilst he was serving with 419 Squadron. His award was effective from 16th June 1942
(as per London Gazette 22nd September 1942.
He was born in Montreal in 1913 and his home was in Quebec where he was an agriculture student. He enlisted there 29th
June 1940. Later he served in 425 Squadron and was gunnery leader with 419 Sqdn when the DFM was awarded.
He was invested with award by King George VI on 18th May 1943. The citation being..