Photo: Pam Hogg
J.H. Procter
Flight Engineer
Royal Air Force
22nd October 1943 age 19.
Out of the darkness
into the light.
Sergeant Procter was serving with 427 Squadron. He was a crew member of a Halifax MK V DK182 ZL- which took off from Leeming on a mission to Kassel. The aircraft turned back early and crashed near Marston Moor, York, killing all the crew. The Halifax, coded 'E' was piloted by HO D. H. Welch, RAF. The pilot had only a week before became a bride groom.
On 7th November, 1942, 427 Squadron was formed at Croft as part of No. 4 Group. Two months later on 1st January, 1943, the unit was transferred to No. 6 (R.C.A.F) Group. Similar to many other Canadian bomber squadrons, the Wellington was the main aircraft employed by the unit at the beginning of the war. During it's move to Leeming in May, 1943, the squadron converted to Halifax bombers and used them for the majority of the war. In March of 1945, the Lancaster replaced the Halifax as the squadron's aircraft and served for the remainder of operations.
On the night of 22-23rd October 1943, 49 aircraft, containing an average crew of seven, were lost on this mission. Some crew members survived, some were taken prisoner, but most died.
The Halifax involved [DK187], was part of an order of 150, Fairey Aviation Co Ltd. Contract No ACFT/891/SAS C4, requisition HA1/E11/41. Deliveries commenced 27th October 1942 (DJ980). B/Met. Mk V DJ980-999, DK114-151, DK165-207, DK223-271.
Source: The Handley Page Halifax by K.A. Merrick, Printed 1990. Aston Publications Limited. ISBN 0 946627 60 6.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1943; W.R. Chorley; 1996; Midland Counties Publications; ISBN 0 904597 90 3
Bomber Command Canadian Museum
History of 427th Squadron
October operations log for 427 (Lion) Squadron RCAF
The CWGC entry for Sergeant Procter