Halifax damaged by FLAK (returned to East Moor airfield).
On the 6th of August 1942 this Halifax was returning from Ops to Bochum. It was hit by flak and both inner engines sustained
severe damage as well as both wings and the fuselage being damaged.
The aircraft landed safely back at East Moor and damage was declared as Cat A(c)/FB, though the the inner engines
were given Cat B/FB damage. The crew were ok.
The aircraft was built to contract B982938/39 by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and delivered directly to 158 Sqdn at East Moor
during the last week of July 1942. It suffered this damage on Ops to Bochum on 6th August 1942 and was repaired.
Repair took some time to complete on site but the aircraft was returned to service by 2nd October 1942 but on it's first Op
(to Krefeld) after repair, now coded NP-B, it suffered 'flak' damage to the starboard outer engine and wing and was given
Cat B damage on return to base. It was repaired in works at YARD, Clifton and was then issued to 1654 HCU at Wigsley in early 1943. This was clearly an error as 1654 HCU were a Lancaster unit and may have only been a paper transfer as the aircraft then appeared on charge with 1668 HCU at Balderton on 15th August 1943 and was transferred to 1656 HCU at Lindholme on an as yet unspecified date in 1944 where it completed it life before being struck off charge as a time expired airframe on 1st September 1944.
Pilot - P/O Ivor T Chambers RAF (later awarded DFC and Bar).
F Eng - Sgt Geoffrey A Smith RAF (569386).
Nav - Sgt William A Thomas RAFVR (130101), of Maesteg, Glamorgan, Wales.
AB - Sgt Eric L Lister RAFVR (131168), of Sandgate, Kent.
W Op - Sgt James G E Davis RAFVR (1375106), of Tooting, Surrey.
MUG - Sgt Dyer (nothing more known on this man).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Eric Davies RAFVR.
F/Lt Lister was killed in action whilst flying his second Tour, this time with 431 Sqdn on 4th December 1943. He is buried in Berlin War Cemetery and was aged 22.
Ivor Chambers (pictured above) survived the War, he survived 68 operational flights. He later flew Mosquitos with 142 Squadron. He flew
his first tour on Wellingtons and Halifaxes (with 158 Sqdn). His second tour was with 142 Squadron, a specialist Light Night
Striking Force formed with Pathfinders flying in Mosquitos. His grandson appeared in the Channel 4 television series "Bomber Crew".
Three members of the crew were later killed in action on 10th September 1942 when Halifax W7745 was on Ops. to Düsseldorf and
it disappeared over the North Sea. Davis and Smith have no known grave (Davis was aged 23). The body of Thomas was recovered and is buried in
Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium. He was aged 21.
My thanks to Eddie Fell for the complete crew list on this aircraft.