On the night of 26th / 27th November 1943 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart. They took off from Holme on Spalding Moor airfield at 16.54hrs. Thick fog was effecting visibility on this night and numerous aircraft were damaged in landings in Yorkshire on their return from ops, flying control at all the Yorkshire airfields must have struggled to get all their own aircraft back down safely as well as the many Lincolnshire based squadrons who were diverted north to try and land in Yorkshire. At 00.59hrs this aircraft was trying to get down to the runway at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield but struck a direction finding building on the edge of the aircraft then crashed on or near the airfield. No serious injuries resulted. All members of this crew were later either awarded the DFC or the DFM.
Pilot - Major John Magne Stene RNoAF (N.1113).
Flight Engineer - 2Lt Jan Magnus Waldo RNoAF.
? - P/O George Edward Albert Hudson RAFVR (159450).
? - F/Sgt Robert Thomas Isaac RAFVR (1337597).
? - Sgt Jack Clark RAFVR (1330748).
Air Gunner - Sgt Wilfred Alexander Lindo RCAF (R/182122).
Air Gunner - Sgt Sydney Edward Pursglove RAFVR (921517).
Jan Waldo was awarded the DFC for RAF service but again I have not located the entry in the London Gazette.
Wilfred Lindo was awarded the DFC for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 27th June 1944 while in the rank of Warrant Officer. His operational tour had began with 76 Squadron on 29th May 1943.
Sydney Pursglove received the DFM for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944, but for service prior to his commission. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 28th March 1944 and rose to F/O six months later and then to F/Lt on 28th March 1946.
Jack Clark received the DFM for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 4th June 1944 (but this notification was not printed in the London Gazette until 18th July 1944), he then rose to F/O on 4th December 1944.
George Hudson received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 27th September 1943 and rose to F/O six months later. For service with 76 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 6th June 1944. He survived the War and remained in the RAF until June 1956.
Robert Isaac was serving with 76 Squadron on 10th July 1943 and was flying in Halifax DK176 when it crashed at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield on return from Ops. While the aircraft was badly damaged he and the rest of his then crew escaped serious injury. He was awarded the DFM for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 6th June 1944, for service prior to a commission. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 9th March 1944 and was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 9th September 1944 and F/Lt on 9th March 1946.