405 (RCAF) Squadron. HP Halifax II W7713 LQ-T. T/O Pocklington 23:46 for Essen. Crashed near Krefeld. (Second 1,000 bomber raid.)
Mission: Frankfurt, Germany
Date: 2/3rd December 1942
Unit: No. 102 Squadron
Type: Halifax II
Serial: W7913
Coded: DY-C
Base: Pockilington, Yorkshire
Location: Between Resteigne and Grupont (Luxembourg)
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Harry Morrissey R/100533 D.F.M. R.C.A.F. Age. 25 Killed
Pilot 2: Sgt. Robert Francis Hughes Kenyon 139871 R.A.F.V.R. Age. ? Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Martin Beart Albrecht 56906 R.A.F. Age. 23 Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. Donald Edward Pike 120581 R.A.F.V.R. Age. 27 Killed
Obs: Sgt. Erlin Leslie Ross Brown 1263694 R.A.F.V.R. Age. 30 Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Allen Robson 1002130 R.A.F.V.R. Age. 27 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. John William Taylor 1390639 R.A.F.V.R. Age. 21 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas McCallum 965300 R.A.F.V.R. Age. 22 Killed
Reason for loss:
Took off at 01.45 hrs from the R.A.F. base in Pocklington, Yorkshire. Part of a 112 aircraft raid on Frankfurt, Germany. The force was made up with 48 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 22 Stirlings, 15 Wellingtons. Weather for the raid was a thick haze and the pathfinders were unable to establish the location of Frankfurt. Most of the bombing fell in country areas south - west of the city, it is possible that a decoy fire was operating.
3 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster, 1 Stirling and 1 Wellington were lost.
Halifax W7913 was shot down by Uffz. Dieter Erichsen of 2./NJG4 over Resteigne at a height of 4.500 mtrs. at 03.35 hrs. This was the first of his 4 kills until he was shot down and wounded on the 18/19th March 1945 on finals to Gerotzhofen airfield by an 85 squadron Mosquito crewed by Fl/Lt F.D. Winn and F/O T. P Ryan. It is not known if Ofhr. Erichson survived the war.
Halifax BB313, No. 138 Squadron, crashed 12/13 May 1943. Crashed W of Troyes (Aube), hit by flak....
Halifax B.III MZ913 'JANE', No. 462 Squadron RAAF.