Halifax 'Beryle'

Halifax 'Beryle'

A Halifax nose with 12 airmen perched on top. Each man is identified by name, trade, air force and home town.
The nose art is a cartoon of a woman, painted 'Tak Yer Time I'm Easy'. 56 bombs are painted on. Under the cockpit is 'Beryle'.
There is a long caption with the history of the aircraft written by Reg Miles in 6 August 2003.
There are three copies without the annotations.
A third copy is cropped and has slightly different annotations.
Included is a note with each man's name.

2003-08-06

Three b/w photographs and one handwritten note

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PMilesRJ16010009, PMilesRJ16010010, PMilesRJ16010011, PMilesRJ16030006, PMilesRJ16010024, PMilesRJ16040041

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LEFT TO RIGHT.

ENGINEER. REG. MILES. ENGLAND REAR GUNNER DOUG. VAUGHAN,.HALIFAX N.S BOMBADIER. RED. BRIDGEMAN. ONT SKIPPER JIMMY TEASE. MAN MID. U. GUNNER YACK. ONTARIO NAVIGATOR. NICK. NICKLEN B.C WIRELESS OP. BAXER. ANT GROUND CREW. LAC JONES MAN. LAC SMITH – TORONTO LAC MILNE – SASK LAC? [deletion] BERRY TORONTO SGT? [deletion] PARKER B.C

E. – EASY 420 (SNOWY OWL) SQDN 6 GROUP BOMBER COMM[missing letters]
BASED AT THOLTHORPE JULY-AUGUST-SEPT 1944. U.K.

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Reg Miles Flight Engineer RAF Doug Vaughan R/Gunner John Bridgeman B/Aimer Jim Tease Pilot Owen Yack M/U Gunner Don Nicklen Navigator Harold Baker W/Operator

420 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force Stationed at Tholthorpe Yorkshire, Photo taken 19.9.1944 when E Easy was taken off operations after 56 trips and left at Dishforth for training new crews.

Handley Page Halifax Mark 3
4 engine Bomber.

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Reg Miles Flight Engineer R.A.F. Margate England Doug Vaughan Rear Gunner R.C.A.F. Halifax N.S. Canada John Bridgeman (Red) R.C.A.F. Bombardier Ont. Canada Jim Tease Pilot (Skipper) R.C.A.F. Man. Canada Owen Yack Mid Upper Gunner R.C.A.F. Ont. Canada Don Nicklen Navigator R.C.A.F. BC. Canada Harold Baker Wireless Operator R.C.A.F. ANT. Canada L.A.C. H. Jones Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Gladstone Man. Canada L.A.C. C.A. Milne Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Chamberlain Sas. Canada L.A.C. J.H. Parker Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Chilliwack, B.C. Canada L.A.C. J.A. Smith Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Toronto Ontario Canada Sgt. B. Berry Ground Crew Chief R.C.A.F. Toronto Ontario Canada

HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX MARK III WITH FOUR BRISTOL HERCULES RADIAL ENGINES, BUILD NO LW416 DELIVERED DECEMBER 1943 TO 424 RCAF TIGER SQDN CODE LETTER “L” NOSE ART “LONG SHOT LOU”
APRIL 1944 TRANSFERRED TO 426 RCAF THUNDERBIRD SQDN NO OPERATIONS
JUNE 1944 TRANSFERRED TO 420 RCAF SNOWY OWL SQDN AT THOLTHORPE YORKSHIRE, NEW NOSE AND TAIL ART PAINTED BY LAC SMITH.
JIM TEASE FIRST FLEW HER ON 21st JUNE 1944 AND LAST ON 19th SEPTEMBER WHEN HE AND HIS AIRCREW DELIVERED HER TO DISHFORTH 1659 H.C.U. BEING RETIRED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE AFTER 56 OPERATIONAL TRIPS.
“E” EASY ”TAKE YOUR TIME I’M EASY” WAS WRITTEN OFF AND SCRAPPED ON 16th JULY 1945. REG MILES AUGUST 6 2003.

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