Halifax BB285 at Pocklington airfield.
During the evening of the 2nd March 1943 this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was flown on a dual circuits and landings exercise using Pocklington airfield. At 20.14hrs an appraoch to land at Pocklington airfield was made by the pupil pilot but the aircraft stalled on the approach to land and it landed heavily, damaging the undercarriage. The instructor took over control before any other damage was made.
Pilot (instructor) - Acting F/Lt Jeffrey Peter Meurrisse Haydon DFC RAAF (402352).
Pilot (pupil) - Sgt Edward William Leon Charlebois RAFVR (1386718).
Halifax BB285 was built to contract B.124357/40 by the London Passenger Transport Board Ltd. at Leavesden and was taken on charge by 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 21st January 1943. The aircraft may have actually been despatched and permanently attached to D-Flight at Pocklington, which had formed when Pocklington based 102 Conversion Flight was absorbed by 1652 H.C.U. in November 1942. It sustained minor damage at Pocklington on 2nd March 1943 which resulted in a Cat.Ac/FA damage assessment. A repair on site was made and it was returned to 1652 H.C.U. on 27th March 1943. On 24th July 1943 it crashed near Spofforth which resulted in a Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage assessment which saw the aircraft being written off. It took until 8th August 1943 before it was struck off charge on the paperwork.
Peter Haydon was born on 6th April 1913 in Canberra, Australia. He enlisted into the RAAF in August 1940 and after initial training he arrived in the UK, he was granted a commission in April 1941 and trained at 10 OTU. On completion of this training he was posted to 51 Squadron in November 1941. He was posted to 158 Squadron in March 1942 with his last flight with them being on the night of 6th/7th August 1942, on this night he was the pilot of Halifax W7750 which was badly damaged on an operational flight, he and his then crew had baled out and the aircraft crashed in Belgium. He and a number of his crew were successful in evading capture via the Comete Line and were able to return to the UK via Spain. He never flew operationally in Europe again and was posted to 1652 HCU for instructional duties. For service with 158 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 5th February 1943. The very brief citation for his DFC reads.."In various capacities as member of aircraft crew this officer has displayed great gallantry and determination in attacking targets in enemy occupied territory." He served at 1652 H.C.U. until December 1943 when he received a posting back to the Australia to join the Pacific theatre of war. He survived the War and later worked as a civilian for the Australia Navy. He died on 29th August 2012.