Personnel Index - Detail

Name
HALES
First Names
Arthur Reginald
Rank
Pilot Officer
Service
RCAF
Service Number
J18785
Crew Position
Pilot
Posting In
Posted in 5/43 and out 11/43

 

November 1943..........P/O Hales and crew were declared 'tour expired'.

The OC had decided they had done more than their share and had earned a well deserved rest.

P/O Hales had flown 29 operations with 49Sqn.

Reg Hales was posted over to 1654 HCU at Wigsley as an instructor.
 



4th row extreme RHS.
 

Additional details and a combat report provided by Ashley Hales (no relation):

Born in Virden, Manitoba, 7 December 1916. Enlisted in Winnipeg, 25 April 1941 and graduated 25 September 1941 when posted to No.5 SFTS.

Promoted Flight Sergeant, 19 June 1942, WO2, 19 December 1942 and commissioned 11 May 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 11 November 1943 and repatriated 14 December 1944.
Died 30 August 1995 in Summerland, British Columbia.

Public Record Office Air 50/187 has a Combat Report involving him, 10/11 August 1943:
 

Aircraft - Lancaster, JA895
Captain - Flight Sergeant Hales
Mid-Upper Gunner - Sergeant Amos - No.9 AGS and No.19 OTU
Second Pilot - Sergeant Hutchinson
Air Bomber - Sergeant Patterson
Navigator - Sergeant Warwick
Rear Gunner - Sergeant Fraser - No.2 AGS and No.19 OTI
 

Time - 0358
Speed - 165
Position - 50?04\" N 01? 21\" W
Course - 270? Magnetic
Height - 20,000 feet
Target - Nuremberg
Met - Above cloud, no moon, fair visibility
 

Rear gunner reported aircraft, port quarter down, 600 yards. Aircraft followed Lancaster for about five minutes, then observed to be twin-engined. Rear Gunner ordered Pilot to turn Port, then opened fire, two-three second burst. Mid-Upper Gunner could not see enemy aircraft owing to its position, enemy aircraft turned off to starboard and dived away. No damage observed, no damage to Lancaster. No claim.