WOII Beckett arrived at 419 Squadron after completing No. 22 O.T.U. and No. 1659 C.U. training with the crew of
Sgt. V.L. Doug Hawkes.
The late Novemeber 1943 arrival meant that the Hawkes crew would not be on their first operation with the
squadron until December 20th. The first operation went without incident.
The next squadron operation they took part in was on the night of Decemeber 29th. to Berlin. It was on this operation
that the then Sgt. Beckett along with the Sgt. Hawkes crew would be intercepted by a Me109.
Combat Report Berlin December 29th. 1943
"Whilst leaving the target area of Berlin, on the night of December 29th, 1943, Halifax aircraft "M" Serial No. DT731 of
419(R.C.A.F.) Squadron, at a position of 52 32 10 058 flying at a height of 18,500 ft. an airspeed of 170MPH at 21.06 hrs. was
was attacked by an enemy fighter, identified as a Me109. Monica gave warning.
The fighter was first sighted by the Mid Upper gunner, silhouetted against cloud, below, passing from starboard
to port in direction of dead astern. The rear gunner then sighted fighter and took over commentary.
The fighter commenced his attack from dead astern, below, at 600yds. and rear gunner gave the combat manoeuver corkscrew port,
Fighter was lost to view.
Two minutes later the fighter commenced his attack from starboard quarter, below, at 400 yds and rear gunner gave
combat manoeuver corkscrew starboard and opened fire with a 3 second burst. Attack was broken off at 300 yds. on port quarter,
and was lost to view. Rear gunner gave resume course."
No damage was substained to the Halifax and the crew and aircraft made it back to base.
A Change of Crews
This was the last operation Beckett flew with Sgt. Hawkes, on the night of February 15/16 he was now the rear gunner
with P/O Charles Patterson.
WOII Beckett completed 15 sorties with the Patterson crew, on the night of May 22/23 1944, Beckett and his new crew were
killed while on operations over Germany, with KB717 .
