Halifax L9583 at Croft airfield.
At 12.00hrs on 8th May 1942 the pilot of this 78 Conversion Flight aircraft had just landed at Croft following his first solo flight on the Halifax type when the aircraft swung on landing, the swung was overcorrected and the undercarriage collapsed. The damage was later assessed and the aircraft deemed beyond repair. The crew listed at the foot of this page could have been inside Halifax L9583 when this incident occurred but I am unable to confirm this at present. They flew with the pilot on a later date.
Pilot - P/O Charles Mitchener RAFVR (102558).
Pilot - Sgt Stevens.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ernest Arthur Tweedale RAF (616062).
Observer - Sgt Walter John Taylor RAFVR (927153).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt William Kenneth Daniel RAFVR (1381051).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt David Horgan RAFVR (1181632).
Air Gunner - Sgt Guy Andre Rene Bissonnette RCAF (R/91666).
Air Gunner - Sgt Lionel George Dowling RAFVR (1312587).
F/O Charles Mitchener was flying with 78 Squadron on 26th July 1942 in Halifax W1184 on Ops to Hamburg when the aircraft was hit by flak and crashed in the River Elbe. The belief is that some of the crew were recovered and buried but the location was not recorded and as a result all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Although his wife was living in Westcliff-on-Sea, his parents were from Luton. He received a commission on 22nd June 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation and rose to F/O (war subs) on 22nd June 1942. CWGC incorrectly lists his service number. Those listed below were with him on the night his aircraft was shot down and could have been with him in the incident recorded at the top of this page.
Halifax L9583 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 45 MU at Kinloss on 11th July 1941 but was not received by them until on 29th September 1941. On 17th October 1941 it was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George and was given the squadron code "MP-M". On 20th February 1942 it was transferred to 78 Conversion Flight at Croft. On 19th April 1942 it sustained minor Cat.Ac/FA damage when the tail wheel assembly collapsed on landing at Croft. It was quickly repaired on site at Croft and resumed being used training Halifax crews by 78 C.F. but the date it was returned to use is not known. As a result of a second mishap at Croft on 8th May 1942 the damage was assessed and it was deemed too badly damaged to be repaired. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off on 15th May 1942.