Halifax DK149 damaged on Ops, returned to Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 20th / 21st April 1943 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb a target at Stettin. The 76 Squadron records incorrectly list Halifax DK167 as being flown twice and at the same time on this night and it looks likely that DK149 was one of the "DK149"'s. I believe that the crew of DK149 took off from Linton on on Ouse airfield at 21.28hrs and released their bomb load over the target area at 01.08hrs from 18,000 feet. The aircraft appears to have been slightly damaged during the course of the flight but the squadron records do not list any damage occurring. A landing was made at Linton on Ouse at 05.55hrs. There is damage to this aircraft listed in on the AM Form 78 for Halifax DK149 on this night.
Pilot - P/O Alan Cresswell RAFVR (1432221).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt C/G F Horne. (Probably Sgt George Frederick Horne RAFVR (1322548)).
Navigator - Sgt E Pritchard.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Richard Cecil Rolls RAFVR (144709).
Air Gunner - Sgt W Bernard.
Flight Engineer - Sgt W Hurworth.
Air Gunner - Sgt William Gerrard Flynn RAFVR (1006394).
Alan Cresswell was awarded the DFC for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted in August 1943.
William Flynn was awarded the DFM for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 14th September 1943 but by the time the award had been granted he had received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th August 1943, he rose to F/O six months later. He was killed in the crash of 466 Squadron Halifax LW172 at Tibthorpe on 9th April 1945. He is buried Manchester Southern Cemetery, Lancashire.
Halifax DK149 was built to contract ACFT/891/SAS C4 by Fairey Aviation Ltd. at Stockport. It was flown new to Linton on Ouse airfield on 4th April 1943 and three days later was taken on charge by 76 Squadron who were based there. The squadron records make an error on 21st April 1943 in that they list one aircraft as flying Ops twice. DK149 is not listed but it's AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage on this date so it seems highly likely to have sustained damaged on Ops this night. A repair on site at Linton on Ouse began on 23rd April 1943 and it was returned to 76 Squadron on 2nd May 1943. 76 Squadron moved to Holme on Spalding Moor on 16th June 1943. On 26th September 1943 the aircraft transferred to 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit at Rufforth. On 28th December 1943 it collided with an M.T. vehicle while it was taxying around Rufforth airfield causing the starboard outer propeller to be damaged. Minor Cat.A/FA damage would have been the damage assessment which was not logged on the AM Form 78. A repair on site was carried out. It was used by 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit until a serious accident on 8th November 1944 when it was involved in a mid-air collision with Hurricane HW684 on a fighter affiliation exercise. The aircraft crashed at Warrendale Plantation, Londesborough. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 18th November 1944.