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Crew 62, Pilot Harold Eric Grant – 462 Squadron RAAF

 

 

Wanted: Photo of GRANT Crew, or of individuals,
and information.

If you can help, please make contact.

A low-resolution photo of this crew at Foulsham, is shown on page 91 of McGindle's "Pimpernel Squadron. The same low-res photo is also shown between pages 60 and 61 of Batten's "Phoenix, Book 2: The Reincarnation". Both photos appear to be copies of copies, so there must be an original somewhere. There is no photo of this crew in "To See the Dawn Again" by Lax & Kane-Maguire. The 466-462 Squadrons' Association donated a photo of this crew to the Australian War Memorial (Oct 2006, with other 462 Squadron material), however it is not listed in the AWM online collection. (Details of books in Acknowledgements)

 

 

 

Crew 62, 462 Squadron, Foulsham, Norfolk

Pilot: Harold Eric GRANT
Bomb Aimer: Donald Martin MUIR
Navigator: Peter Vernon ROBERTS
Wireless Operator: Robert STOREY
Rear Gunner: Peter Garnsey DUNN
Mid-Upper Gunner: Ronald Sidney MEYER
Flight Engineer: W S COLLINS

Special Duties: WINDOW Dispensers
Special Duties: RCM
Links to additional crew information; and Crew Ops.

Reference sources – Australian WW2 Nominal Roll; The National Archives of Australia (RAAF Service File, and photos; 462 Squadron Operational Record Book). Thanks go to Mark WEATE who obtained the high-resolution photo of Pilot GRANT from the NAA, and supplied it for use on this web page; and to Duke NEWSTEAD for group photo of Flight Engineers.

 

 

Harold Eric Grant, 432151 RAAF, later Pilot in 462 Squadron, Foulsham.
Photo from the National Archives of Australia: A9300, 432151

Harold Eric Grant, from his NAA RAAF Service File, so possibly taken on 05 December 1942, when he enlistment in the RAAF.

 

 

Pilot

Name: Harold Eric GRANT (Harry)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 432151
Date of Birth: 30 November 1918
Place of Birth: Greenslopes, Queensland
Date of Enlistment: 05 December 1942
Place of Enlistment: Sydney, New South Wales
Next of Kin: John GRANT
Date of Discharge: 17 January 1946
Rank at Discharge: Flying Officer
Posting at Discharge: 462 Squadron
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Bomb Aimer

Name: Donald Martin MUIR (Don)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 419832
Date of Birth: 01 June 1924
Place of Birth: West Melbourne, Victoria
Date of Enlistment: 29 September 1942
Place of Enlistment: Melbourne, Vic
Next of Kin: Marion MUIR
Date of Discharge: 28 February 1946
Rank at Discharge: Warrant Officer
Posting at Discharge: 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (Gamston)
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Navigator

Name: Peter Vernon ROBERTS (Peter)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 437059
Date of Birth: 29 August 1924
Place of Birth: Orroroo, South Australia
Date of Enlistment: 15 October 1942
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide, SA
Next of Kin: Leslie ROBERTS
Date of Discharge: 16 April 1946
Rank at Discharge: Warrant Officer
Posting at Discharge: 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (Gamston)
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Robert Storey, 432660 RAAF, January 1943, later Wireless Operator in 462 Squadron, Foulsham.Robert Storey, 432660 RAAF, March 1943, later Wireless Operator in 462 Squadron, Foulsham.
Photos from the National Archives of Australia: A9301, 432660

Above left: Robert Storey, at enlistment 09 January 1943.
Above right: on 14 March 1943; posted to 2 ITS, Bradfield Park, Sydney, on 15 March 1943.

 

Wireless Operator

Name: Robert STOREY (Rob or Bob)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 432660
Date of Birth: 05 July 1918
Place of Birth: Newcastle, NSW
Date of Enlistment: 09 January 1943
Place of Enlistment: Sydney, NSW
Next of Kin: Doreen STOREY
Date of Discharge: 07 March 1946
Rank at Discharge: Warrant Officer
Posting at Discharge: 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (Gamston)
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Rear Gunner

Name: Peter Garnsey DUNN (Peter)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 433582
Date of Birth: 10 January 1925
Place of Birth: Rylstone, NSW
Date of Enlistment: 24 April 1943
Place of Enlistment: Sydney, NSW
Next of Kin: Norman DUNN
Date of Discharge: 19 December 1945
Rank at Discharge: Warrant Officer
Posting at Discharge: 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (Gamston)
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Mid-Upper Gunner

Name: Ronald Sidney MEYER (Ron)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 66041
Date of Birth: 13 February 1924
Place of Birth: Coogee, NSW
Date of Enlistment: 10 June 1942
Place of Enlistment: Sydney, NSW
Next of Kin: George MEYER
Date of Discharge: 23 January 1946
Rank at Discharge: Warrant Officer
Posting at Discharge: 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (Gamston)
Honours and Gallantry: Nil
Prisoner of War: No
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Sgt W S Collins, 1826423 RAFVR, Flight Engineer at 462 Squadron, Foulsham, 1945
Photo from the A. A. Newstead Collection.

Flight Engineer Sgt W S Collins, 1826423 RAFVR.
Image cropped from the group photo of Flight Engineers, 462 Squadron Foulsham, June 1945.

 

 

Flight Engineer

Name: W S COLLINS (Jock)
Service: Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve?)
Service Number: 1826423
Date and Place of Birth: .....
Date and Place of Enlistment: ..... *
Next of Kin: .....
Posting from 462 Squadron: September 1945
Rank at Posting from 462 Squadron: Sergeant
Posting at Discharge from RAF: Not known
Prisoner of War: No

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers: No. 1820001 to No. 1830000 were allocated from November 1943 at Edinburgh. This batch includes 1826423 for W S COLLINS.
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Special Duties – WINDOW

Gregory Patrick FARRELL 432776 RAAF x 2 Ops
John Francis WALL 432918 RAAF
Lionel Owen BILLIN 433888 RAAF x 2 Ops
Garth FINK 435339 RAAF
Please refer to SD-WINDOW for further information,
and photos.
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Special Duties – Radio Counter Measures (RCM)

J HOSIE J.44681 RCAF x 2 Ops
E C REINKE R.218397 RCAF
P SAWATZKY J.47915 RCAF
Please refer to SD-RCM for further information.
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Additional Crew Information
At the time of writing for 06 January 2020, only the RAAF Service File for Wireless Operator Robert STOREY had been digitised by the NAA. Army information for Pilot GRANT was sourced from the Australian WW2 Nominal Roll. Other information for the crew has been extracted from the 462 Squadron Operation Record Book (ORB). No RAF Service File has been obtained for F/Eng COLLINS.
Please make contact if you can assist with further information.

The following table shows Rank for the crew members at various times.

 

Crew Position Name Rank on Posting TO 462 Sqdn
06 March 1945
Rank on Posting FROM 462 Sqdn, Sept 1945 Rank at Demobilisation
Pilot GRANT Pilot Officer Flying Officer Flying Officer
B/Aimer MUIR Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer Warrant Officer
Nav ROBERTS Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer Warrant Officer
W/Op STOREY Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer Warrant Officer
R/AG DUNN Flight Sergeant Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer
MU/AG MEYER Flight Sergeant Flight Sergeant Warrant Officer
F/Eng COLLINS Sergeant Sergeant Not known

 

The postings of the crew have been determined by examining the RAAF Service File for Wireless Operator STOREY. They are based on the assumption that they "crewed up" at OTU, then posted as a crew of 6 to a HCU with addition of Flight Engineer, then posted as a crew of 7 to to 462 Squadron. The ORB lists the 7 crew names in the usual sequence in the March Postings TO 462 Squadron, and the ORB also lists the September 1945 postings FROM 462 Squadron.

July 1944 – Posted to 27 Operational Training Unit, Lichfield (STOREY was posted to 27 OTU on 18 July 1944) where the crew of six is assumed to have formed; training in Wellington aircraft. It is not yet known if the crew trained at the satellite airfield for 27 OTU at Church Broughton, near Derby. (photos BALL Crew 59, 27 OTU, Church Broughton, August 1944)

20 October 1944 – Posted to 41 Base, Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.

07 November 1944 – Posted to 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (1652 HCU), Marston Moor, Yorkshire, for conversion to Halifax Bombers; F/Eng COLLINS would have joined the crew here. (photos BALL Crew 59, 1652 HCU, Marston Moor, Christmas 1944, outside Nissen Hut)

06 March 1945 – Posted to 462 Squadron, Foulsham, Norfolk, as crew of seven, for Bomber Support, in 100 Group.
Duties to include Spoofs with WINDOW dispensed (SD-W); and Protective Patrols using Radio Counter Measures (SD-RCM); with some bombing included.

Crew Ops – total of 8 Ops, detailed in later section .....
4 Ops with 8th Crewman for SD-W;
2 Ops with 9 in crew, 8th man for SD-W, and 9th for SD-RCM;
2 Ops with 8th Crewman as SD-RCM.

September 1945 – RAAF members of crew posted FROM 462 Squadron.
Pilot GRANT as 20th in the first Draft of 27 Officers on 11 September, to go on leave prior to reporting to Gamston (9 Aircrew Holding Unit or 9 ACHU) on 17 September, for repatriation to Australia.
B/A MUIR and NAV ROBERTS in the first Draft of 38 NCOs on 11 September, to go on leave prior to reporting to Gamston (9 ACHU) on 17 September, for repatriation to Australia.
F/Eng COLLINS with the group of 25 Flight Engineers in the first Draft of 38 NCOs on 11 Sept, forward posting not recorded.
W/OP STOREY, R/AG DUNN, and MU/AG Meyer were in the third Draft of 90 NCOs posted from 462 Squadron on 14 September for leave, thence to report to Gamston (9 ACHU) on 19 September, for repatriation to Australia. STOREY's Service File dates his posting to Gamston as 19 September 1945.

The dates of demobilisation for the RAAF personnel in Australia, are listed in each Service summary in previous section.

The members of this crew may be present in the various group photos taken at 462 Squadron Foulsham between March and June 1945. However only F/ENG W S COLLINS has been identified – Flight Engineers, June 1945 (back row, 6th from left, with thanks to former F/Eng Newstead of ANDERSON Crew 45, for photo and names; that image of COLLINS cropped and shown in previous section of this web page). If you can identify other crew members, please make contact.

There were some errors in the ORB for names and Service Numbers –
H E Grant with incorrect initials W E, and incorrect Service Numbers 432157 and 432159
P V ROBERTS with incorrect initials R V
P G DUNN with incorrect initials R G
R S MEYER with incorrect initials R E
W S COLLINS incorrect Service Number 1826483

Pilot Harold Eric GRANT – previously enlisted in Australian Army on 25 August 1941, at Annerley, Qld, while living at Greenslopes, Qld; Army Service Number N173446; next-of-kin John GRANT; discharged from Army on 04 December 1942, at rank of Gunner, for enlistment in RAAF on 05 December 1942. (Photo shown previously)

Wireless Operator Robert STOREY – sourced for NAA RAAF Service File, A9301; the same event recorded on different documents may have variations in date, but usually only by one or two days.

22 December 1942 – Application for Aircrew, at RAAF No 2 Recruiting Centre (2 RC), Woolloomooloo, NSW; aged 25 years 5 months; private address at Canterbury, NSW, married, next-of-kin wife Doreen Veronica Gladys STOREY of the same address; British subject with Australian parents; attended Abermain Public School, then Cessnock High School; received Intermediate Certificate in November 1933, passing Maths 1, Maths 2, History, English; first-class passes in Chemistry and Physics; sports played cricket, football, league, tennis, swimming; occupations since leaving school – concrete floor-layer and terrazzo, accountant and commercial traveler; currently contractor for concrete and excavations, with general building knowledge; no pilot's licence or flying experience, no previous defence forces service; height 5 feet 8 inches; weight 10 st 7 lb. Form with notation added "registered as Robert ALMOND, known as Robert STOREY"; signed 22 December 1942; rubber-stamped and initialled 22 December, 23 December, 24 December and 28 December 1942.

04 January 1943 – Interviewed at No 2 RC, various details recorded for name Robert ALMOND, known as Robert STOREY, with both parents listed; marriage at Campsie on 07 October 1939, wife (as above) nee GUY; one child Annette Doreen born 01 March 1941.
08 January 1943 – Statutory Declaration ..... "I, Robert ALMOND of Canterbury, New South Wales, do solemnly and sincerely declare that Robert ALMOND and Robert STOREY are the one and same person and for the duration of my service with the Royal Australian Air Force, I wish to be known as Robert STOREY." signed by R. Storey in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, Sydney.

09 January 1943 – Enlisted as Air Crew in the RAAF Citizen Air Force at 2 RC, Sydney, in the name of Robert STOREY, for Duration of War and 12 months thereafter; current trade Contractor; married; age 24 years 6 months; height 5 ft 8½ inches; weight 146 lb; 6/6 vision both eyes; fair complexion, hazel eyes, fair hair; Roman Catholic; Medical category A1B, A3B; other details as per Application for Aircrew dated 22 December 1942. (Photo dated 9.1.43 shown in previous section). Next-of-kin wife Doreen V G STOREY of Canterbury, NSW; additional person to be informed in case of casualty Mrs R (?) STOREY, Abermain, NSW.
09 January 1943 – Allocated RAAF Service No 432660; classified as Air Craftman 2 (AC2); Mustered as Aircrew V (Guard)
09 January 1943 – Posted to 2 Recruit Depot (2 RD)

02 February 1943 – Posted to 10 Elementary Flying Training School (10 EFTS), Temora, NSW

15 March 1943 – Posted to 2 Initial Training School (2 ITS); Bradfield Park, Sydney, Aircrew Course 39 (total 31.5 hours) Passed (Photo dated 14.3.43 shown in previous section).

17 May 1943 – Remustered as Aircrew V (G)
22 May 1943 – Promoted to LAC

25 May 1943 – Posted to 3 Wireless and Gunnery School (3 WAGS), Maryborough, Qld, Course 40

29 August 1943 – at 3 WAGS, Maryborough, LAC STOREY was charged with the Offence ..... "At Maryborough at approx 2300 hours 29.8.43 entered RAAF Maryborough through the southern boundary fence, contrary to DRO S/N 184 (4) dated 4.8.43". Punishment 14 Days CB (Confined to Barracks). 29 August 1943 was a Sunday – perhaps he had been late back from leave, or had missed curfew, so avoided the usual entry gates; or maybe he had just taken a shortcut. This minor misdemeanour did not appear to affect his later training/promotions. It was the only Offence on his Service Conduct Sheet.

09 December 1943 – Remustered as Aircrew II (G)
10 December 1943 – Posted to 3 Bombing and Gunnery School (3 BAGS), West Sale, Course 40

06 January 1944 – Successfully completed Air Gunner's Course 40
06 January 1944 – Awarded Air Gunner's Badge
06 January 1944 – Promoted to Sergeant
06 January 1944 – Remustered as WOAG II (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)

07 January 1944 – Posted to 2 Embarkation Depot (2 ED), Sydney, NSW

27 January 1944 – Embarked from Sydney, Australia, for the UK

11 March 1944 – Remustered as Wireless Operator (Air)
12 March 1944 – Disembarked UK; Attached to RAF
12 March 1944 – Posted to 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre (11 PDRC), Brighton

20 June 1944 – Posted to 4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit (4 (O) AFU), West Freugh, Scotland

06 July 1944 – Promoted to Flight Sergeant

18 July 1944 – Posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), Lichfield; here a crew of 6 would have formed, for training in Wellington Bombers

20 October 1944 – Posted to 41 Base, Acaster Malbis

07 November 1944 – Posted to 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (1652 HCU), Marston Moor, Yorkshire, for conversion to Halifax Bombers; here the Flight Engineer would have joined the crew

06 March 1945 – Posted to 462 Squadron, Foulsham, Norfolk, as part of crew of seven

Ops at 462 Squadron detailed in following section. The crew most likely also carried out non-operational flying between early May and September 1945, but such flights were not recorded by crew names in ORB. No log book is available for reference.

06 July 1945 – Promoted to Warrant Officer

19 September 1945 – Posted to 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (9 ACHU) Gamston

10 November 1945 – Posted to 11 PDRC, Brighton

22 December 1945 – Embarked from UK for Australia

22 January 1946 – Disembarked in Melbourne, Vic
22 January 1946 – Posted to 1 Personnel Depot (1 PD), Melbourne, Vic

24 January 1946 – Posted to 2 Personnel Depot (2 PD), Bradfield Park, Sydney, NSW

04 March 1946 – Clearance Certificate from No 2 Personnel Depot Demobilisation Wing after sign-off of all liabilities, medical, dental, rehabilitation, re-establishment checks, and other documentation; "Will" returned; R.A.S. Badge No 75046 issued (assume this is his Return from Active Service Badge); recall address for STOREY in Canterbury, NSW.

07 March 1946 – Discharged from the RAAF on demobilisation with effect from this date; 2 PD, Bradfield Park, Sydney; with 67 days pay in lieu of leave (7 days Recreation Leave, 30 days War Service Leave, 30 days Re-establishment Leave).

Character – AC2 and LAC under training, and Sgt, F/Sgt, W/O – all signed off as V.G.
Trade Proficiency and skill as Air Gunner – Satisfactory
Ability as NCO or Technical Warrant – Moderate

Service Conduct Sheet – Certified "No Further Entry" after August 1943, to 01 November 1945 (RAF records)

Medals – 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939/45

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Crew Opscarried out by this crew during their posting to 462 Squadron, Foulsham.

The following table lists the 8 Ops for this crew, during March and April 1945 – 4 Ops with 8th Crewman as SD-W; 2 Ops with 8th Crewman as SD-RCM; 2 Ops with 9 in crew, 1 for SD-W and 1 for SD-RCM.

There is no record of Pilot GRANT in the role of 2nd Pilot.
Five of the seven usual members of this crew flew 8 Ops together with Pilot GRANT.
B/A MUIR carried out 7 Ops with this crew, with one substitution by E T PERRIGNON (SWANN Crew 55); (no Op recorded by MUIR with any other crew).
MU/AG MEYER carried out 6 Ops with this crew, with one substitution by A H S BROWN (SWANN Crew 55); and one substitution by J A NEWBOLD (various crews) for 2 Ops in early April (no Op recorded by MEYER with any other crew).

Aircraft Serials are as listed in the Operational Record Book, Forms 541, from the National Archives of Australia.
Aircraft Code numbers Z5- were not listed in the ORB, but were compared and cross-referenced with other sources;
Times up and down in red were night flights.
Target "Ruhr x 5" means 5 aircraft tasked from 462 Squadron to the target of the Ruhr, with GRANT's crew being one of those 5 (and so on for the other dates).
Target "Schönebeck x 11 (of 12)" means 11 aircraft tasked from 462 Squadron to the target of Schönebeck, with GRANT's crew being one of those 11; but with different duties for the other 462 Squadron aircraft.
Code for Op Type – SD Special Duties; SP Spoof; W WINDOW; TI Target Indicators; I Incendiaries;
PP Protective Patrol; MF Main Force; B Bombing.
Comments include names of extra 8th crew member to dispense WINDOW, and 9th for RCM.

This crew did not have any early returns, did not have any other trouble during their Ops (i.e. none was recorded in the ORB), and did not "land away" for any reason.

 

Date Op No A/c Serial Code Z5- Up Down Target Op Type Comments
24/03/1945 1 MZ341 P 1835 2350 Ruhr x 5 SD SP W WINDOW released;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW,
F/Sgt G P FARRELL, 432776 RAAF
27/03/1945 2 NA240 V 1903 0002 Bremerhaven x 9 SD SP W TI I WINDOW released;
4 x 250 lb Target Indicators dropped;
3 x 750 lb Incendiary Clusters dropped;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW, F/Sgt J F WALL, 432918 RAAF;
Additional 9th member of crew for RCM duties,
F/O J HOSIE, J.44681 RCAF
08/04/1945 3 NA148 Z 1819 0227 Schönebeck x 11 (of 12) SD SP W TI WINDOW released;
4 x 250 lb Target Indicators dropped;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW,
F/Sgt G P FARRELL, 432776 RAAF;
Additional 9th member of crew for RCM duties,
F/Sgt E C REINKE R.218397 RCAF;
Substitute MU/AG F/O A H S BROWN, 437673 RAAF
13/04/1945 4 RG432
PN427
A 2057 0203 Kiel x 2 (of 12) SD PP MF B Protective Patrol with Main Force;
2 x 500lb G.P. Bombs dropped in target area;
Additional 8th member of crew for RCM duties,
P/O P SAWATZKY J.47915 RCAF;
Substitute MU/AG W/O J A NEWBOLD, 755811 RAF
16/04/1945 5 PN426 O 2359 0718 Schwandorf x 2 (of 10) SD PP MF B Protective Patrol with Main Force;
2 x 500lb M.C. Bombs dropped in target area;
Additional 8th member of crew for RCM duties,
F/O J HOSIE, J.44681 RCAF
18/04/1945 6 MZ396 B 0007 0655 Munich x 4 SD SP W WINDOW released;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW,
F/Sgt L O BILLIN, 433888 RAAF
22/04/1945 7 PN433 A 2104 0215 Heligoland x 10 SD SP W WINDOW released;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW,
F/Sgt L O BILLIN, 433888 RAAF
23/04/1945 8 PN433 A 2109 0220 Lubeck x 8 SD SP W WINDOW released;
Additional 8th member of crew to dispense WINDOW,
F/Sgt G FINK, 435339 RAAF

 

Aircraft information
Op 1. MZ341 Z5-P – Photos and painting on of Halifax page.

Op 2. NA240 Z5-V – Op on 27 March was the 6th for this aircraft at 462 Squadron; see its Ops list at end of Halifax page. NA240 Failed to Return on the night of 10/11 April 1945, Pilot Alf BALL and Crew 59, 7 KIA, 1 PoW.

Op 3. NA148 Z5-Z – photo on Halifax page.

Op 4. RG432 Z5-A – recording error in ORB for 13 April. This aircraft had previously been written off, 04 April 1945 (on return from Op, overshot runway with engine trouble, and undercarriage collapsed, O'SULLIVAN); and had been replaced by PN427 Z5-A (RG432 has also been recorded as LG432 Z5-A).
Op 4. PN427 Z5-A crashed in forced landing in France while returning from an Op on night 14/15 April 1945, ANDERSON crew 45, aircraft was written off; replaced by PN433 Z5-A.

Op 5. PN426 Z5-O – Artwork on Halifax page

Op 6. MZ396 Z5-B – no photo located

Ops 7. & 8. PN433 Z5-A – photo on Halifax page.

 

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