Halifax R9376 at Skipton on Swale satillite airfield.
At 14.05hrs on 13th December 1941 this 10 Squadron aircraft was about to take off from 10 Squadron's satillite airfield Skipton on Swale when the pilot opened up the throttles with the brakes on. As the aircraft had no ammunition in the tail of the aircraft it was nose-heavy so tipped up onto it's nose. This must have been a non-operational flight as 10 Squadron only begun flying Halifaxes operationally after this date.
Pilot - Sgt Herbert Victor Peterson RCAF (R/60240).
Crew - Names unknown.
Herbert Peterson was born in Calgary in 1920 and was living there when he enlisted into the RCAF in 1940. He received a commission on 2nd June 1942 and was awarded the DFC for his actions on 28th April 1942 on Ops to attack the German battleship Tirpitz when the aircraft was badly damaged by flak. The citation for his DFC reads.."Warrant Officer Peterson has completed many operational sorties of which thirteen have been as captain of aircraft. One night in April 1942 he was detailed to attack the German Naval Base at Trondheim. On arrival over the target, in spite of intense barrage of anti-aircraft fire which he encountered, he dived to very low altitude and pressed home his attack. On the following night he carried out another low-level attack on the same target. His aircraft sustained severe damage and one engine was put out of action. With great skill and judgement Warrant Officer Peterson succeeded in flying his aircraft to an emergency landing ground where he made a safe landing." He was awarded the Bar to the DFC for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 30th June 1942 for his actions involved with the incident at the top of this page. The citation for this award reads.."One night in June 1942, Warrant Officer Peterson was the captain of a Halifax aircraft detailed to attack Essen. Whilst over the target the aircraft was held by strong searchlight cones and subject to intense anti-aircraft fire. The port engine was hit and ceased to function, the windscreen was also damaged and a piece of perspex entered Warrant Officer Peterson's left eye. Nevertheless he continued to take evasive action and eventually set off on the return journey. Whilst over Holland, flying at 11,000 feet, he was attacked by an enemy fighter. His rear gunner delivered a short burst which caused the enemy aircraft to burst into flames and dive away out of control. When crossing the Dutch coast the aircraft was again subjected to anti-aircraft fire and the starboard engine was put out of action. Despite Warrant Officer Peterson's injuries and the severe damage sustained by the aircraft he succeeded in flying back to this country and landing at an aerodrome with which he was unfamiliar. Warrant Officer Peterson displayed fine courage and determination throughout." He was part of the 10 Squadron collective that were sent to form 10/227 Squadron in the Middle East not long after his award of the Bar to the DFC and then briefly served with 462 Squadron on its formation, back in the UK he instructed at 1659 HCU in 1943 and was later awarded a Second Bar to the DFC, received for service with and for being Commanding Officer of 429 Squadron, Gazetted on 26th October 1945. Postwar he returned home and died in 1983. Hugh Halliday's RCAF awards research has been used in this biog.
Halifax R9376 is pictured above. It was built to contract B.692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 10 Squadron on 21st November 1941. The aircraft was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Leeming on 25th November 1941. As a result of an accident at Skipton on Swale on 13th December 1941 Cat.A/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. The repair was begun on 17th December 1941 and it was complete by 4th January 1942. On 4th January 1942 on paper the aircraft was allocated to 138 Squadron at Stradishall but this move cannot have taken place as 138 Squadron never operated Halifax MkII's. It's AM Form 78 states that it was transferred back to 10 Squadron on 3rd April 1942 though also states that it was transferred to 10 Squadron Conversion Flight on the same date and may have been entered twice to reflect that it was still with 10 Squadron on that date. On 29th June 1942 it suffered Cat.A/FA damage at Leeming when it ran into a concrete slab hidden by long grass after landing. Again it was repaired on site with the repair being started on 30th June 1942. It was returned to 10 Squadron Conversion Flight on 4th August 1942 and on 26th August 1942 10 Squadron Conversion Flight moved from Leeming to Melbourne. On 7th October 1942 all of 10 Squadron Conversion Flight aircraft were absorbed into the newly formed 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit but this aircraft continued to operate from Melbourne specifically training 10 Squadron crews. On 14th November 1942 Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded when it crashed near Melbourne. It was struck off charge when the paperwork went through on 21st November 1942.