Lancaster ED317 at Lindholme airfield.
On 13th December 1942 this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being flown on a night circuit flying exercise at Lindholme airfield. At 23.05hrs and ten minutes into the flight the pilot was attempting to land at Lindholme in heavy rain and poor visibility. As he could not see out of the front windows he opened the side window and attempted to fly looking out of it. Once over the runway he held off the ground for too long and eventually he made a heavy landing which resulted in one or probably both undercarriage legs collapsing. Repairable damage resulted. One member of the crew was slightly injured and sustained leg injuries, he was admitted to Lindholme's sick quarters.
Pilot - Sgt Harold Vincent Toomey RAAF (408890).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Herbert Keith Cheslin RAAF (Aus10651). Injured.
Navigator - F/Sgt Robert William Morgan RAAF (411585).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Frederick Sydney Ralph RAFVR (1255047).
Air - Sgt Charles Laurence Yorke Wilkins RAFVR (947118).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John O'Brien Allen RAAF (411636).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Noel Ryder Simpson RAAF (405504).
Sgt Toomey was posted to 460 Squadron on 21st December 1942 and received a new flight engineer, Sgt Booth. Having crashed four aeroplane he was taken off pilot duties and was posted elsewhere. He had crashed something at Woodvale, something else, this Lancaster at Lindholme and the final one was with 460 Squadron when he crashed into a Spitfire on landing at Boscombe Down.
Herbert Cheslin was born on 21st November 1911 in Melbourne, Victoria. He enlisted into the Australian Militia Forces in November 1929 and received
his discharge from this in February 1936. He was working as a motor mechanic when he enlisted into the RAAF in Melbourne on 24th June 1940 in as a
aircraft fitter. On arrival in the UK he was posted to 32 MU in September 1941 and then to 27 OTU on 23rd March 1942. It is likely that his skills in
the motor trade were put to good use in the servicing of aircraft and aircraft engines. He re-mustered as a flight engineer in September 1942 and was
posted to 1656 HCU on 4th November 1942 where he completed his training. After this training he was posted to 460 Squadron on 30th December 1942 and
flew a Tour with 460 Squadron. On 18th June 1943 he returned to 1656 HCU for a week long course before posting back to 460 Squadron on 25th June 1943.
He received a commission on 12th August 1943 to the rank of P/O. He flew twenty seven flights in his first Tour and was posted to 625 Squadron
straight away to begin a second Tour on 2nd December 1943 but only flew one operational flight with 625 Squadron before posting to 27 OTU on 10th June
1944 as an instructor. In July 1944 he sailed for repatriation to Australia, via New York. He served as an instructor with 7 OTU in Australia in the
latter months of the War having been promoted to F/O on 12th February 1944 and F/Lt on 12th August 1945 he was discharged on 14th November 1945.
Lancaster ED317 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V.Roe & Co. Ltd. at Chadderton and was awaiting collection in November 1942. It appears to have been allotted to 61 Squadron on 30th November 1942 but never arrived there as on that same date it was taken on charge by 1656 H.C.U. at Lindholme. As a result of this damage on 13th December 1942 Cat.B damage was the damage assessment. It was removed and repaired in a works factory because this is the last mention of it being with 1656 HCU on it's AM Form AM.78. On 19th May 1943 it was sent to Armstrong Whitworths and then flown to 5 MU on 4th June 1943. On 26th June 1943 it was taken on charge by 101 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor. It sustained Cat.Ac damage on 17th July 1943 and 18th August 1943 with repairs on site being made each time. The aircraft was transferred to 100 Squadron at Grimsby on 27th September 1943 and to 625 Squadron at Kelstern on 13th October 1943 just after the unit formed. It sustained cat.Ac damage on 31st December 1943 and was repaired on site. It was then lost on 25th March 1944, Cat.E(m) recorded, when it failed to return from Ops to Berlin and it's then crew of seven were killed. The aircraft was struck off charge on 24th April 1944 with 265 hours flying time being recorded to it.