Halifax DG356 at Rufforth airfield.
On 25th May 1943 this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft had landed at Rufforth airfield following a training flight involving three engined flying. At 11.45hrs after landing the aircraft swung, the pilot over-corrected the swing and the aircraft left the runway coming to rest with the undercarriage collapsed.
Instructor Pilot - P/O Leslie Jones Hampton DFM RAFVR (142528).
Trainee Pilot - F/Sgt Horace Raymond William Whittle RAFVR (1053463).
Leslie Hampton had already done a Tour with 10 Squadron and had crash landed Halifax W7867 at Melbourne on return from Ops on 7th / 8th November 1942. He was awarded the DFM for service with 10 Squadron, Gazetted on 18th May 1943. F/Sgt Hampton's citation for his award reads.. "Whilst returning from a raid on Essen recently F/Sgt Hampton's aircraft was shot down into the sea in the vicinity of the Dutch coast. He and his crew were rescued three days later by an Air / Sea Rescue Launch after undergoing extreme hardships. The rescue was completed under fire from three enemy "E" boats. In spite of this grim ordeal, this captain has continued to operate with undiminished ardour. During an attack on Kiel in October 1942, his aircraft was illuminated by searchlights and repeatedly hit by gun fire. In spite of this F/Sgt Hampton dived down from 14,000 feet to 6,000 feet to bomb, and secured outstanding photographs." He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 6th March 1943 and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 6th September 1943 and on 6th March 1945 he was promoted to F/Lt (war subs). He later saw further service with 10 Squadron and as Acting F/Lt was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 14th November 1944. Postwar he remained in the RAFVR until 1951 when he relinquished his commission in the RAFVR on 23rd February 1951 on appointment to a short service commission in the RAF to the rank of F/O (with seniority of 26th January 1949). He was later promoted to F/Lt on 10th November 1955 and retired from the RAF as a F/Lt on 12th June 1966.
Horace Whittle had also been involved in a flying accident earlier in the war whilst training at 20 OTU when Wellington N2821 crashed near Banff while on a training flight and he sustained injuries in the incident. He recovered and received a commission on 6th July 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He completed his training and was posted to 76 Squadron and was nearing the end of his tour on 26th / 27th November 1943 when he was flying Ops to Stuttgart in Halifax LK687. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and he and his rear gunner were killed, five other members of his then crew survived but became PoW's. He was thirty two years old and is buried Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. It is possible that some of his then crew were also on board Halifax DG356 when it crashed at Rufforth.
Halifax DG356 was built to contract ACFT/637/C4/c by Rootes Securities Ltd. at Speke and was received by 18 M.U. at Dumfries on 19th February 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit at Rufforth on 24th March 1943. As a result of the crash at Rufforth on 25th May 1943 Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 5th June 1943.