On the night of 6th / 7th October 1942 this 405 Squadron Halifax was one of seven used on an operational flight to bomb Osnabruck. On their return to Yorkshire in poor visibility the crew mistook the lights at Dishforth for that of Topcliffe and landed there at 00.04hrs by mistake. Because the runway layout was different they overshot and came to rest in some form of pit at the end of the runway. The aircraft sustained minor damage.
Pilot - P/O William Winston Colledge RCAF (J/8207).
Second Pilot - Sgt J Lago (Sgt John Edward Lago RCAF ?).
Navigator - Sgt Albert John Ennals RAFVR (1331803).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Jack Vaughan Karleff RCAF.
? - Sgt H A Simms.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ernest Alfred Taylor RCAF (R/81075).
? - F/Sgt J A Steward.
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Frederick William Yates RAF (419330).
Halifax W7810 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. On 14th August 1942 it was taken on charge immediately by 405 Squadron at Topcliffe. As a result of the minor damage sustained at Dishforth on 7th October 1942 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment, it was repaired on site and returned to 405 Squadron on 3rd January 1943. The aircraft was transferred to 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Topcliffe on 19th April 1943. On 19th October 1944 it was transferred to 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit at Langar but on 18th December 1944 it was placed in MU storage at 48 M.U. pending disposal. It was struck off charge on 1st November 1945.
While flying a Thousand Bomber raid on Bremen with 10 OTU on 26th June 1942 Colledge, Karleff, Taylor and Annels were forced to ditch Whitley P5004 in the North Sea off Grimsby, they spent some hours in the dinghy before rescue came.
William Colledge was awarded the DFC for service with 20th April 1943. He was killed in the crash of Oxford X6858 in Gloucestershire while training at No.3 F.I.S. on 1st July 1943.
Albert Ennals later flew with 434 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for service with them, Gazetted on 30th June 1944.
Jack Karleff later flew with 426 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for service with them, Gazetted on 27th March 1945.
Ernest Taylor was awarded the DFM for service with 405 Squadron, Gazetted on 20th April 1943. He died as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycling accident on 19th August 1944 while returning to Melbourne airfield from York. He is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.
John Yates was awarded the DFC for service with 415 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th April 1945.
The second pilot is named as Sgt J Lago in the squadron records. A John Edward Lago RCAF would later receive a commission and ended the war a PoW but he appears to have been a wireless operator. With this being a rare surname I make a tentative link between the two.
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