224579 Flt.Lt. William E Siddle DFC & Bar.Royal Air Force 83 (Pathfinder) Squadron from:Crown Hotel, Penrith Flt Sgt Bill Siddle joined 9 Squadron at Bardney from the Operational Training Unit at Upper Heywood on 21st July 1943. The other members of his crew arriving with him were: Navigator: WO Dick Lodge, Bomb Aimer: F/O Ken Hill. Wireless Operator Sgt Clem Culley, Flight Engineer: Sgt Reg Moseley
Mid-Upper Gunner: Sgt Dick Jones, Tail Gunner: F/O Clayton Moore (RCAF).
On 6th September 1943 at the end of their eighth sortie their damaged Lancaster made a crash landing short of Bardney airfield, in which the plane was destroyed but all crew members survived. Ken Hill and Reg Moseley sustained injuries which ended their flying careers. They were replaced by: Bomb Aimer: W/O Norman (Mike) Machin DFC, and Flight Engineer: W/O Alan (Jock) Wilson.
Mid-upper gunner Dick Jones was killed in action when flying with another crew on 3rd December 1943. His replacement was W/O Gerry Parker DFC, an American.
The crew completed a tour of duty (30 active trips) and then on 24th January 1944 Bill Siddle transferred to No 83 Pathfinder Squadron at Wyton. His initial crew there included many who transferred with him and comprised: Navigator: W/O Dick Lodge, Bomb Aimer: W/O Norman (Mike) Machin DFC, Wireless Operator F/O Alan MacDonald DFC, Flight Engineer: W/O Alan (Jock) Wilson, Mid-Upper Gunner: W/O Gerry Parker DFC and Tail Gunner: F/O Clayton Moore (RCAF)
Gerry Parker transferred to the US 8th Army Air Corps in June 1944 and his replacement was W/O J J (Paddy) Blanche, who only undertook a single flight with the crew before transferring to the new 617 (Dambusters) Squadron and being replaced by P/O E D Hine. After only three sorties he transferred out of 83 Squadron and the new Mid-Upper Gunner was W/O W (Bill) G Trotter.
Bill completed his second tour of 30 sorties with 83 Squadron and was demobbed at the end of hostilities, returning to Penrith to run the Crown Hotel which had been in the family for three generations before him. He later moved to Grimsby where he died in 1970.
A detailed account of the greater part of Bill's wartime service is given in the book Lancaster Valour written by tail-end gunner Clayton Moore and published in 1995.
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