On the evening of the 3rd October 1943 crews and aircraft belonging to 427 Squadron were undertaking operational orders to bomb Kassel, Germany. 427 Squadron were technically based at Leeming but this aircraft is listed as having taken off from Skipton on Swale in the casualty file of one of the crew. The flight probably began from Skipton on Swale airfield because their home airfield of Leeming was having the runways resurfaced during early October 1943 and 427 Squadron air and ground crews had been using Skipton on Swale while this work was carried out at Leeming. The crew of this 427 Squadron aircraft, Halifax LK637, took off from Skipton on Swale airfield at 18.30hrs for an operational flight to bomb Kassel. Outbound, at 20.10hrs, the Halifax was attacked from below by an unseen enemy aircraft while flying over the Zuider Zee, Holland. The rear turret was extensively damaged and the fuselage was raked in cannon fire killing both the rear gunner and wireless operator and also injuring the flight engineer. The Halifax also caught fire but after pilot put the aircraft into a steep diving turn the airflow put out the fire. The intercom was disabled in the attack as was the hydraulic system and also the bomb doors were damaged initially preventing them being jettisoned. On the return flight to England a 2000lb bomb fell through the damaged bomb doors but this then opened the doors to allow the rest of the larger high explosive bombs to be jettisoned. Having made landfall and with the undercarriage being stuck in the up belly landing with bombs on board the aircraft was probably not ideal. Having made contact with flying control they had initially received instruction that the aircraft be abandoned and not landed but in and out of consiousness the flight engineer managed to instruct others how to locate and then cut hydraulic pipes that would allow the undercarriage to lower and lock down. Realising that the seriously injured flight engineer would probably not survive a parachute descent the pilot opted to try and land the aircraft to give a better chance of survival. They landed at Skipton on Swale airfield at around 22.40hrs but some incendary bombs then ignited on landing and set the aircraft on fire. The five remaining crew members made good their escape from the aircraft and the fire was soon put out. The pilot was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while the injured flight engineer was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for their actions on this night, Gazetted on 9th November 1943 the citation adds more information and reads.. "Flight Lieutenant Laird and Sergeant Cardy were pilot and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Kassel one night in October 1943. During the operation the bomber was hit by a hail of bullets from an enemy fighter. Nevertheless, Flight Lieutenant Laird coolly and skilfully outmanoeuvred the enemy aircraft and set course for this country. Two of his crew had been killed, however, and Sergeant Cardy was wounded in the arm and in the eye. In spite of intense suffering, this gallant airman refused to leave his post and executed his normal duties until he finally fainted through loss of blood. Later, when he again recovered consciousness, he attempted to do as much as he could to assist his captain in the homeward flight. By a superb effort Flight Lieutenant Laird succeeded in reaching base where he effected a safe landing in difficult circumstances. This officer displayed outstanding skill, courage and tenacity, while Sergeant Cardy's exemplary conduct and great fortitude were beyond praise."

Pilot - F/Lt George Johnstone Laird RCAF (J4896).

Flight Engineer - Sgt William Harry Cardy RCAF (R/70142). Injured right arm and left eye.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Joseph Charles Corbally RCAF (R/100526)

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Turner Rogerson RAFVR (156417), aged 33, wife of Lytham. Buried Lytham RC Cemetery, Lancashire.

Navigator - Sgt George Alexander Lorimer RCAF (R/143080).

Mid Upper Gunner - P/O James Moffat RCAF (J/27919).

Rear Gunner - F/O Jack Chisholm Findlay RCAF (J/24182), aged 36, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Jack Findlay was born on 23rd June 1912 in Glasgow, Scotland and was the son of John and Mary (nee Chisholm) Findlay. Both his parents died while he was a young man and he appears to have emigrated to Toronto, Canada when he was fourteen years old on his own. He married Mildred Wesenberg in 1935 in Toronto and they had a baby girl born there in 1937. He had originally enlisted for RCAF service in Toronto on 22nd September 1939 and was working as a sales manager in Toronto, he had originally enlisted for ground or office duties and spent three years undertaking a ground based role. He remustered to aircrew in September 1942 and following training was awarded his air gunner's flying badge and also a commission on 5th March 1943. He was posted overseas soon after and on arrival in the UK had trained at 23 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 427 Squadron on 25th August 1943.

William Cardy was born on 8th September 1920 in Ontario and was the son of Joseph and Rosa Cardy. He enlisted for RCAF service in Galt on 28th August 1940 for ground duties and to serve as an aero engine fitter. In 1941 he was posted to the UK and had probably served in the No.4 Group area of Bomber Command as he had worked on Halifaxes. In mid-1943 he remustered as aircrew and trained as a flight engineer. 427 Squadron was his first operational unit and the events of 3rd October 1943 took place on his third operational flight. For his actions on 3rd October 1943 he was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), the citation was a joint one with F/Lt George Laird's DFC, it was Gazetted on 9th November 1943. Following the safe landing back in Yorkshire he was taken to hospital and after a number of operations the metal in his eye was finally removed. Due to his injuries he was prevented from returning to his role in aircrew and was repatriated to Canada in February 1944 to be discharged a couple of months later. He died in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada on 3rd June 2007.

Joseph Corbally was born on 11th July 1919 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Joseph Aloysius and Justina Bridget (nee Delemere) Corbally. He enlisted for RCAF service on 24th March 1941 in Toronto for aircrew duties and initially began training as an air observer but later switched to air bomber training. Prior to going overseas he had stated that he married Helen Isobel Clem but infact this never occurred, she may well have been his fiancee and by stating they were married would would mean that she was entitled to a dependants' allowance should he be killed. On arrival in the UK in late-1942 over the coming months he then trained at 6 AOS, 23 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 427 Squadron on 25th August 1943. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 30th November 1943. As stated in Laird's biography above, Joseph Corbally was killed flying with him in Halifax LV923 on 31st March 1944 and is buried in Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium.