Halifax L9532 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
In the evening of 14th July 1941 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft were tasked with bombing the railway station at Hannover. The aircraft was damaged by flak over the target. On their return to northern England in the early hours of 15th July 1941 this aircraft, and at least one other, were diverted to land at Linton on Ouse because of bad weather and poor visibility. On the approach to land the flaps would not lower properly. At around 04.30hrs this aircraft floated as it was about to touch down and it then landed too far along the runway. The brakes were applied as the pilot tried to avoid an overshoot but then swerved to avoid running into the airfield boundary hedge and the undercarriage collapsed.
Pilot - P/O John George Ireton RAF (89842).
? - Sgt Davies.
? - Sgt Browne.
? - F/Sgt James Flannigan RAFVR (759151).
? - Sgt Lawrence Blair RAFVR (955468).
Air Gunner - Sgt Philip Lawrence Wheeldon RAF (569291).
? - F/Sgt Salisbury. (Possibly Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Leslie Salisbury RAFVR (746777)).
Halifax L9532 was also built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that it was initially allotted to 35 MU on 26th April 1941 (I suspect this should read 35 Squadron). The allotment was not taken up by either 35 MU or 35 Squadron. It was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George on 12th June 1941. As a result of the damage sustained at Linton on Ouse on 15th July 1941 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the initial damage assessment but this may have been upgraded to Re-Cat.B damage. The repair took many months and appears to have been carried out on site at Linton on Ouse. It was returned to 76 Squadron on 14th November 1941. The aircraft was transferred to the newly formed 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 16th January 1942. It was loaned to 102 Squadron for a short period during 1942 before being transferred to 102 Squadron on 17th September 1942 and then to 408 Conversion Flight at Leeming on 8th October 1942. On 3rd December 1942 it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage following a burst tyre at Leeming. The aircraft was repaired on site and was returned to 408 Conversion Flight on 26th December 1942. On 7th January 1943 408 C.F. was absorbed into the newly formed 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Leeming. On 8th July 1943 it was converted to a ground instructional airframe 3953M.
John Ireton received a commission on 11th January 1941 but with seniority back dated to 24th November 1940. He injured his hand on 16th June 1941 when the escape hatch of the Halifax he was in blew off on take off fro Middleton St.George for Ops to Cologne. The pilot, S/Ldr Bickford, turned the aircraft around and landed back at base. Only days after the mishap at Linton on Ouse in July 1941 he was in Halifax L9494 on 24th July 1941, the aircraft was badly damaged by flak and the shot about by enemy fighters on Ops to La Pallice. The aircraft was ditched and the crew later rescued by a French fishing boat but were taken prisoner by a German boat who had witnessed the rescue. The crew spent the rest of the war as PoWs. This was the first sucessful ditching of a Halifax aircraft. He was promoted to F/O while held captive on 24th November 1941. After the War, John Ireton remained in the RAF and rose to the rank of W/C in January 1961. He later transferred to the Equipment Branch, later the Supply Branch, and had responsibility for introducing the RAF’s (then world-beating) military supply IT system. He retired as a Group Captain.
F/Sgt Flannigan was killed on 31st October 1941 when Halifax L9602 failed to return from Ops to Dunkirk. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Blair was killed on 30th December 1941 when Halifax L9615 failed to return from Ops to Brest. He too is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Wheeldon was killed on 13th April 1942 when Halifax R9487 failed to return from Ops to Essen. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
On 20th June 1942 F/Sgt Salisbury was flying in 35 Squadron Halifax BB201 on Ops to Emden when the aircraft was lost without trace. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.