Halifax at Wombleton airfield.
Halifax DT737 undergoing maintainance earlier in its life with 192 Sqdn as "DT-R".
On the 30th of April 1944 this aircraft was taking off at 17.25hrs for the pupils initial flight on the Halifax with an instructor. On take off it suffered
a burst tyre. The aircraft became airborne a ten minute fly around was carried out to allow the instructor and ground control to
access the problem and make ready for an emergency landing. At 17.35hrs on the landing the instructor managed to stay off
the burst tyre for much of the landing but
had no option but to settle on it after the aircraft slowed down. The hub dug into the ground and after two ground loops,
the aircrafts tail broke off. The two airmen on the aircraft were unhurt but the aircraft was not repaired.
The aircraft was built to contract B982938/39 by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and allocated to 1474 SD Flt at Gransden Lodge
prior to delivery on 9th January 1943 but in the mean time 1474 SD Flt had been renamed 192 Sqdn on 4th January 1943 where it was coded
DT-R. It remained non-operational (the explanation for which is given below) until June 1943. It later transferred to 1473 SD Flt. at
Finmere, it moved with unit to Feltwell on 14th September 1943 and unit renamed 1473 RCM Flt. It again moved with unit to Little Snoring
on 28th November and then to Foulsham on 12th December 1943. The Unit disbanded on 1st February 1944. DT737 remained on site until
allocated to 1666 HCU at Wombleton on 19th February 1944. Cat. E/FA damage was recorded on the aircraft after this incident at the top of the page
and it was struck off charge and reduced to spares and produce.
Instructor Pilot - S/Ldr Harry Gowan RCAF DFC and Bar (J/17015).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt S Huston RCAF (R160295), ok. Possibly Samuel Huston RCAF.
""As captain and pilot this officer has participated in very many
sorties including
attacks on Berlin, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Hamburg. On one occasion when attacking the latter city in July 1943, his aircraft was badly
damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Despite this, Pilot Officer Gowan successfully completed his attack and afterwards flew the damaged bomber
to base. This officer has set a high standard of skill and resolution.""
The Bar to the DFC was gained after completing his second Tour with 405 Sqdn and was awarded in May 1944 probably after he had been posted to 1666 HCU for a
rest from operational flying. The Citation reads..
""Squadron Leader Gowan has completed two tours of operational duty. He has attacked some of the enemy's most heavily defended targets including Berlin, Cologne and Hanover. At all times he has displayed courage, skill and determination of a high order. An exceptional pilot and organizer, he has played no small part in the successes achieved by his squadron.""
""As captain of aircraft this officer has shown exceptional coolness, great courage and determination coupled with fine leadership. His calm confidence and obvious ability have maintained a high degree of morale in his crew and he has set a praiseworthy example to all. On one occasion his Flight Engineer was injured immediately prior to take-off. He received a spare and, despite the loss of time, took off and bombed the target on time. His sorties include many major targets including Wesseling, Kiel, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bremen, Russelheim, Stettin, Emden, Domburg, Dortmund, Duisburg, Cologne, Oberhausen and Bochum as well as many targets requiring great precision and timing such as St.Leu, Foret de Chantilly, Caen and Bois de Cassan.""
Its duties with Special Duties flights has been researched and is as follows; DT737 arrived with 192 Sqdn on 9th January 1943 as a Series I (Special) and a
brand new aircraft. It arrived with its sister DT735 built by EEC built aircraft to Contract
B982938/39 (order no. 116/E11/39). DT735 had a similar life to DT737 having time with 192 Sqdn
but went to 1475 Flt prior to ending its days at 1666 HCU (and being lost on 19th November 1944).
192 Sqdn was a specialist radio flight it probably spent some period of time being kitted out and it appears not to have been used on Ops
at all in the UK before April 1943. The Squadron was sent on detachment to North Africa in late April 1943, three Wellingtons left base at Feltwell on 27th April
bound for Blida, Algeria along with DT737 which was used to carry ground crew and spares. The pilot for this flight was W/C Webster DSO DFC,
Commanding Officer of the Bomber
Development Unit which had only just moved into Feltwell from Gransden Lodge (at the same time as 192 Sqdn had arrived there). This
pilot was probably chosen as 192 Sqdn had no crews experienced in flying Halifaxs. They landed at Portreath, then Gibralter on 28th April
and arrived in Blida on 30th April 1943. The detachment stayed in
North Africa until September 1943 and with their three Wellingtons they completed over 50 operational flights. Halifax DT737 must have
returned to the UK soon after delivering its load as it was being used again in UK in late June 1943 off the French coast.
On 4th July it patrolled off the Spanish coast. It may have been used by 192 Sqdn after this date but no record of it
taking part in Ops has been
found. 1473 Special Duties Flight took charge of the aircraft on 22nd July 1943 (which would later merge with 192 Sqdn). It then
passed over to
1666 HCU at Wombleton on 19th February 1944 who destroyed on 30th April 1944. Its sister DT735 also had a similar career.
The photograph below shows the nose art which DT737 it carried with 192 Sqdn. This may have been painted over by the time it arrived at 1666 HCU at Wombleton.
S/Ldr Harry Gowan RCAF (J/17018) he was born in Ottawa in August 1920 and enlisted in Hamilton in February 1941.
He was Commissioned in 1943.
His DFC was gained with 405 Sqdn in October 1943, the Citation reads...
It is also likely that Sgt S Huston was one F/Lt Samuel Huston (J/19887) DFC, born in Toronto in 1918 and enlisted there in April 1942. Whilst there is
no citation he was awarded the DFC whilst for service with 428 Sqdn in 1944/45. The recomendation reads...