Halifax L9486 damaged in the air, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th October 1941 the crew of this 35 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Nuremburg with a number of aircraft and crews from 35 Squadron. This specific aircraft took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at 19.51hrs. The aircraft suffered from one of engine trouble so released their bomb load over an area of search lights on high ground north east of Mannheim. On the return flight the port outer engine caught fire in the air, the crew operated the fire extinguisher system which was successful in putting the fire out. The crew made a safe return to base and landed at Linton on Ouse at 02.10hrs.
Pilot - F/O Basil Vernon Robinson RAFO (34089).
Second Pilot - Sgt Edwin Frederick Gresham RAFVR (1285564).
Observer - P/O Alfred Abels RAFVR (65517).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Henry Hood RAFVR (976069).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Edward Connor RAFVR (970956).
Air Gunner - Sgt Haakon Rivedal RCAF (R/54388).
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Norman Hindle RAF (620185).
Basil Robinson was awarded the DSO, DFC and Bar, and the AFC while in RAF service. His life and Air Force career is well documented on the internet. G/C Robinson
was killed on 24th August 1943 while serving with 35 Squadron PFF and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.
Alfred Abels received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 6th April 1941 and was promoted to F/O on 6th April 1942. He was awarded the DFC for service
with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 29th May 1942. The citation reads.."Flying Officer Abels has participated in many successful sorties including two daylight attacks on the
German battleships which were at Brest. One night in April 1942, as the navigator of an aircraft detailed to attack the German naval base at Trondheim, he navigated the
aircraft safely over the North Sea and mountainous country of Northern Norway, and arrived over the target at the appointed time. The attack was made from a very low
level which necessitated the most accurate map reading. Flying Officer Abels, despite intense opposition, completed this duty most successfully. He has displayed courage
and skill of a high standard." He was later promoted to F/Lt on 3rd November 1942 and to acting S/Ldr on an unknown date. He was serving with 102 Squadron by October
1943 when he was made a PoW on 23rd October 1943 flying in Halifax HR911. He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 14th January 1944.
Robinson, Abels and Hood were flying Halifax V9978 on 18th December 1941 when they ditched on return from Ops to Brest, this turned out to be only the second known successful
ditching of a Halifax. All were rescued.
Sgt John Hindle and Sgt Norman Hood were killed on 7th May 1942 flying Halifax W1050 on Ops to Stuttgart. They are buried at Neufchateau Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Norman Hood was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 27th July 1942 (with effect from 4th May 1942).
Sgt Gresham was posted to 35 Squadron from 10 OTU on 20th September 1941 and then to 58 Squadron on 20th October 1941. He was killed on 8th November 1941 when Whitley Z9205 failed to return from Berlin. He is buried in Kiel War Cemetery.
Sgt Connor was flying in 35 Squadron Halifax L9582 on Ops to Hemburg when the aircraft was badly damaged and failed to return to England. He was made a PoW.
Halifax L9486 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. Prior to completion it had initially been allotted to A&AEE at Boscombe Down on 30th August 1940 but then on 17th October 1940 it was re-allotted to 24 MU at Ternhill and then re-allotted to 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 1st November 1940. The aircraft was only the second production Halifax ever built. It was initially taken on charge by Boscombe Down DTD on 13th November 1940 but on 2nd December 1940 it was flown to 24 MU at Ternhill. Eight days later it was taken on charge 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse where it carried the squadron code "TL-B". The 35 Squadron orb states that this aircraft was flown to join 35 Squadron on 13th November 1940 by F/O Henry and it was their first Halifax to arrive (making it the first ever Halifax to arrive at an operational squadron). It sustained minor damage on 30th March 1941 when the hydaulics failed in the air on a flight to the AFDU and the pilot made a belly landing at Linton on Ouse. Following this damage it was inspected by 43 Group D.A.(Damage Assessment) and a repair order placed with the C.R.O.(Civilian Repair Organization) for the repair on site. On 20th August 1941 the repair was completed by C.R.O. and it was returned to 35 Squadron still at Linton on Ouse the same date but was re-coded "TL-G". On the night of 12th / 13th October 1941 it sustained damage after an engine fire on ops, Cat.A(c) damage was the assessment made on 20th October 1941 which saw it was repaired on site again, being returned to 35 Squadron charge on 12th November 1941. It was immediately transferred to 28 Conversion Flight at Leconfield the same day. On 30th December 1941 it moved with this unit to Marston Moor and on 2nd January 1942 it was transferred to the newly formed 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. As the result of a landing mishap there on 3rd March 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was the assessment. A major repair was begun on site at Marston Moor on 17th March 1942 but the aircraft was converted to a Ground Instructional Airframe being completed as 3005M on 11th April 1942 when it was returned to 1652 C.U. charge. It was deemed as surplus to requirements at Marston Moor so the G.I.A. was transferred to No.4 S.of T.T. at St.Athan on 14th April 1942 and was transported there by road. It remained there until being struck off charge on 1st September 1944.