As New Zealander aviator Sergeant William O'Shea's Wellington bomber barrelled through heavy flak over Germany, a cone of light tracked the plane until it was hit and crashed, killing all aboard.
Five other New Zealand crews from 75 (NZ) Squadron met the same fate on that disastrous raid on Hamburg; the deadliest for New Zealand aviators during World War 2.
Soon after, Sergeant O'Shea's wife Ann received word of her husband's death.
His medals were an enduring reminder of his sacrifice, something that stayed with her until her death in the 1990s.
William's estate then passed to Ann's cousin, who later died, and the O'Shea medals were lost to the family.
That is until last year, when a keen-eyed Air Force chaplain spotted something amiss in a Perth military memorabilia shop.
Chaplain Haydn Lea noticed that a collection of WW2 medals belonging to a New Zealand aviator was missing a Royal Air Force Bomber Command Clasp.
Decades after the war, aviators who served in Bomber Command, which was central to the strategic bombing of Germany, were awarded a clasp to attach to their 1939-1945 service medal.
"By the time the clasp was introduced, a lot had been killed in the war or had died afterwards and many missed out," Chaplain Lea said.
"The first thing that I noticed was his medals were missing that particular award. Part of my motivation in trying to get them was to correct that."
'I could never have imagined this would be the way that Billy's story played out, but it has had such a lovely ending for the family.'
It's not the first time the 25 Squadron padre has corrected history.
A few years earlier, during a visit to the Australian War Memorial, Chaplain Lea saw one of Australia's most decorated aviators was also missing the Bomber Command Clasp.
Pilot Officer Rawdon Middleton, VC, was eligible to receive one after commanding a Stirling bomber in operations over Europe.
Chaplain Lea presented the Australian War Memorial with the Bomber Command Clasp for Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton in 2023.
Chaplain Lea purchased four of Sergeant O'Shea's medals: the 1939-1945 campaign medal, France and Germany Star, two commonwealth medals and the New Zealand Memorial Cross - awarded to servicemen and women who were killed during WW2.
That same week, New Zealand honours and awards put him in touch with Sergeant O'Shea's great niece.
"I let them know I had the medals and was trying to get the missing clasp awarded and I would send them over once it was all done," Chaplain Lea said.
He had the medals cleaned and mounted and they now hang in the home of Karen Curtis (nee O'Shea). 'Billy' is back with his family.
"I could never have imagined this would be the way that Billy's story played out, but it has had such a lovely ending for the family," Mrs Curtis said.
"We so dearly wanted to bring those medals home. It made our year.
"Of all the hands the medals could have fallen into, they landed in the safe hands of someone who truly cares about sacrifice, service and family.
"Billy would be so happy that they were treated with the respect they deserve. I feel like he has been watching over us and steering us towards this outcome."
