| Place | Europe: United Kingdom, England, Yorkshire, Driffield |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | UK1911 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England, Yorkshire |
| Date made | August 1944-September 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
A Handley Page Halifax B.III bomber of 462 Squadron RAAF taxiing at its base at Driffield. The ...
Description
A Handley Page Halifax B.III bomber of 462 Squadron RAAF taxiing at its base at Driffield. The "Lili Marlene", as it was known, was allocated to 466 Squadron with the following crew: 418205 FO Ron Thomas, Captain; 414856 Flight Lt John Schmidt, Navigator; 422500 Warrant Officer Alf Green, Wireless Operator; 424007 FO Max Martin, Rear Gunner; 429896 FO Bill Shillaker, Mid Upper Gunner; 426363 FO Jack Mann, Bomb Aimer and Flt Sgt T J Cunningham RAF, Flight Engineer. The inscription 'OUR LAST' on the bomber's left fin indicates the last tour of this crew with 466 Squadron on 24 August 1944, and the nose art depicts the seven crew members with "Lili Marlene". It was then transferred to 462 Squadron on 25 August 1944. The aircraft, MZ296 (Z5-L), was lost on 15 October 1944 while flown by another crew and returning from a raid on Duisburg. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire and low on fuel, the crew successfully baled out over Allied territory. The pilot on the final trip was New Zealander 413028 Flying Officer (FO) W B Cookson. The crew included three Australians: 427168 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) W F Tolhurst (Bomb Aimer), 436481 FO L J Power (Wireless Air Gunner) and 435209 Flt Sgt N O Reed (Rear Gunner). FO Cookson later received the DFC for his actions.