Halifax DK144 at Leeming airfield.
At 21.45hrs on 25th June 1943 this 427 Squadron aircraft was in the process of taking off for an operational flight to attack Gelsenkirchen when the pilot saw the aircraft had no break pressure. He swung the aircraft off the runway but before it could be stopped he realised the aircraft was going to run into a parked aircraft so applied power to two engines to try and swing the airraft round. The undercarrriage collapsed. The aircraft was new to 427 Squadron and would have been on it's first operational flight.
Pilot - W/Co Dudley Henderson Burnside DFC and Bar RAF (37464).
When 427 Squadron was formed he took command in late 1942 and was a awarded the Bar to the DFC for his actions on 12th / 13th March 1943 which saw P/O Roderick John Heather RCAF (J/16756) being killed. On this night they landed at Stradishall on return to England following severe battle damage. The surviving members of his crew were all awarded medals for their actions on this night. Gazetted on 13th April 1943, the citation adds more detail about this incident and reads.."One night in March 1943, Wing Commander Burnside and Pilot Officer Hayhurst were captain and bomb aimer of an aircraft detailed to attack Essen. When nearing the target area the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire. One of the crew was killed and another severely wounded, while the aircraft sustained damage. The aileron control was affected, while the windscreen de-icing glycol tank burst, drenching Pilot Officer Hayhurst and filling the forward part of the bomber with suffocating fumes. Despite this, Pilot Officer Hayhurst directed his captain to the target, which was successfully bombed and a good photograph obtained. The aircraft was held by searchlights for a few minutes but Wing Commander Burnside skilfully evaded the defences and set course for home. On the return flight the aircraft encountered enemy fighters, but each time he shook them off. Displaying fine airmanship he flew the aircraft back to an airfield in this country."
He transferred to the RAF Reserve (RAFO) on 28th October 1944 under the terms of his commission. He was later Mentioned in Destaches on 1st January 1945 and awarded the DSO for service with 195 Squadron, Gazetted on 26th October 1945. He was promoted to W/Co (war subs) on 30th October 1945 but later was appointed to a permanent commission in the RAF Post-War being granted the rank of W/Co on 1st November 1947 (with seniority of 1st October 1946). He was awarded the OBE "in recognition of non-operational service in Japan in connection with operations in Korea", Gazetted on 1st January 1952. He rose to G/Cpt on 1st July 1954 before retiring from the RAF in 1962. He died in September 2005, aged 93.
Dudley Burnside was born in in Essex in 1912. He received a commission in the RAF 23rd December 1935 and first served with 58 Squadron but was soon posted to India. For service in Waziristan in 1939 he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 25th October 1940 while in the rank of F/Lt. He was later promoted to S/Ldr (temp) on 1st June 1941 and to W/Co (temp) on 1st June 1942.