Halifax W1054 at Leeming airfield.
On 30th April 1942 this crew were in the process of returning this 10 Squadron aircraft to it's usual base of Leeming from their detachment at Lossiemouth. The downwind runway approach to land was blocked by a steamroller so the aircraft had to make an approach with a crosswind. At 12.10hrs the crew landed in a strong cross wind at Leeming, the aircraft's undercarriage collapsed when it swung off the runway. It was badly damaged and was not repaired but there were no injuries to anyone on board. The flying control officer was deemed to blame for not getting the steam roller moved. The state of the runway at Leeming was poor at this time and the steam roller was almost certainly being used to improve the flying surface.
Halifax W1054 was built to contract B.982938/39 by the English Electric Company Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection in the final week of March 1942. It was taken on charge by 102 Squadron on 1st April 1942 but transferred to 10 Squadron at Leeming on 7th April 1942. As a result of the landing accident at Leeming on 30th April 1942 Cat.Ac/FA damage was initially the damage assessment (I suspect because the aircraft was brand new and locally they didn't want to write it off). It was then assessed on 1st May 1942 and Re-Cat.E, on 6th May 1942 it was struck off charge.
Pilot - Acting F/Lt Alan Egbert Hacking RAFVR (63487).
Alan Hacking was killed flying in Halifax W7679 (on detachment from 10 Squadron to 10/227 Squadron) on 6th September 1942 on Ops to bomb Heraklion airfield, Crete. Many of his crew who flew with him in April 1942 (and possibly when Halifax W1054 crashed at Leeming as recorded above) were still flying with S/Ldr Hacking on 6th September 1942. Sadly S/Ldr Hacking, F/Sgt Carson and F/Sgt Porritt were killed but there are conflicting reports as to the fates of the others. The three named were recovered are buried in Suda Bay War Cemetery, Crete. Some say the others died in a crash at sea and their bodies were not recovered, while others give the crash location as being on land south east of Kastelli Pediada and they were captured and became PoW's. Their aircraft was leading a formation of three aircraft when they made a run over the target and bombed in a shallow dive pulling out at 7000 feet. The starboard outer engine was hit by light flak at the end of the run and fuel was seen streaming away from it. The pilot turned the aircraft southward and one airman was seen to bale out at 6000 feet with others following soon afterwards.
Alan Hacking was probably born in the Kingston area of Surrey in 1918, he received a commission on 17th April 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation and rose to F/O (war subs) exactly a year later. On 11th September 1941 he ditched 10 Squadron Whitley Z6867 off Flamborough Head with his then crew soon being rescued. The London Gazette has no further increases in his rank after this date, his rank when the incident occurred at Leeming must have been an acting rank and as Acting S/Ldr. On 27th April 1942 10 Squadron were on detachment to Lossiemouth to attack the German battleship Tirpitz, he was the pilot of Halifax W1039 which was hit by flak which shot away the aileron controls. He was able to return to Lossiemouth and land safely. On 8th May 1942 he was the pilot of Halifax W7673 which was damaged at Leeming when it swung off the runway on landing following an airtest. William Chorley, in his superb series of Bomber Command losses books, states that it was believed that he was suffering from operational fatigue. He was soon back in the air and was part of the 10 Squadron group that were posted out to the Middle East in early July 1942 (with 10/227 Squadron).
I list one of his then crew's DFM award as it adds details surrounding his time with 10 Squadron. F/Sgt Porritt was awarded the DFM at the end of May 1942, the citation
reads.. "As an air gunner, F/Sgt Porritt has displayed great skill and coolness in combat. During a daylight attack on the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gnehenau, his
aircraft was attacked by four Messerschmttt 109's. Using his guns most effectively, F/Sgt Porritt shot down one of the attackers in flames, probably destroyed another, and warded
off the remaining two until fighter assistance arrived. In the encounter F/Sgt Porritt was wounded in the face and arms. One morning in May 1942, whilst returning from an operation
over Germany, he engaged a Messerschmitt 109 from close range. Following a well-directed burst of fire, the enemy aircraft was observed to plunge vertically towards
the ground, where, a few seconds later, it apparently burst into flames. On both these occasions this airman undoubtedly saved his aircraft from destruction."