Halifax BB284 damaged by flak, returned to Elvington airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Elvington airfield at 23.01hrs . They bombed the PFF target indicator from 17,000 feet but as they were lining up the bomb sight the aircraft was hit by flak on the starboard aileron with further flak damage caused to the intercom, the port inner engine, the starboard wing and the aircraft's "George" (auto-pilot) control. The crew were able to make a safe return to Elvington and land there at 03.39hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Basil Hallam RAFVR (778812).
Flight Engineer - Sgt William Richard Martindale RAFVR (1504469).
Navigator - Sgt Alfred Trevor Hitchings RAFVR (1586013).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Thomas Smith Crowcroft RAFVR (998586).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Colin Michael Purves RAFVR (1128915).
Air Gunner - Sgt Edgar Charles Honey RCAF (R/146294).
Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Thomas Worrall RAFVR (1095590).
Basil Hallam was granted a commission on 19th June 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), he was promoted to F/O and to F/Lt while a PoW.
William Martindale was born on 8th March 1923. After the war Sgt Martindale remained in the RAF, on 29th December 1950 he was flying in Halifax ST798 when it crashed into the sea off Barra Head, Outer Hebrides with the loss of the whole crew. His body was never found.
All of the above were flying together on the night of 27th / 28th September 1943 in Halifax LW265 on ops to Hannover, the aircraft was shot down and all became PoW's.
Halifax BB284 was built to contract B.124357/40 by the London Passenger Transport Board Ltd. at Leavesden and was allocated to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall on 17th January 1943. The aircraft arrived at 1658 H.C.U. on 23rd January 1943. Days later on 2nd February 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 76 Squadron at Linton on Ouse and it then passed to 77 Squadron at Elvington on 14th April 1943. On 28th May 1943 it sustained minor battle on Ops which saw a Cat.A/FB damage assessment with the damage being repaired on site. On 18th August 1943 sustained Cat.A/FB damage damage on Ops to Peenemunde, the then crew landed at Long Marston airfield and it was again repaired on site. On 22nd September 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1668 Heavy Conversion Unit at Balderton and then on 13th December 1943 it was transferred to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme. On 23rd October 1944 the aircraft caught fire on a cross country training flight over Shropshire, the crew abandoned it but two were killed and the aircraft crashed near Little Stretton, Shropshire. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 4th November 1944 having clocked up an impressive 704 flying hours from new.