Second Pilot.This crew member would be a pilot of less experience than the pilot (captain).The inclusion of the second pilot enabled a graduating pilot to gain experience of operations.But some aircraft carried a second pilot on the Wellington as part of the 6 man crew structure.This situation would have some bearing on the review by the Air Ministry of the need to have a second pilot and hence run the risk of the loss of two pilots if the aircraft was lost.
I think if you look at the Wellington crewing it could comprise of 5 or 6 and the latter was the reason for the Air Ministry to review the need to have two pilots.The other point was that there was two grades related to gunnery and the wireless operating functions.The Observer designation was a multirole responsibility who clearly had too a high workload to fit into the requirements of the 4 engined heavies. I'm assuming he was front air gunner during most of the flight and then took over as bomb aimer on the run in to the target. A secondary source identifies him as the bomb aimer. Does anyone know whether the bomb aimer had a secondary role? The CWGC entry for Flight Sergeant Eric Gilbert Kershaw (KIA on bombing raid on Duisburg, 7th August 1942) states his trade as wireless op/air gunner, 7 Squadron's operation log shows him as air gunner (but doesn't show anyone in the role of bomb aimer).
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