Halifax DK294 at Rufforth airfield.
During the evening of 7th November 1943 the crew of this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft undertook a training flight. On landing at Rufforth at 21.15hrs the aircraft overshot the airfield and ran through the boundary sustaining minor damage. The runway at Rufforth then became obstructed and other returning aircraft had to be diverted to land at Marston Moor airfield.
There were three mishaps at Rufforth on this date. This incident was probably the one referred to in the station records as coming to rest on the Askham Richard road and it taking until 9th November 1943 to remove.
The crew of Halifax EB134 received and acknowledged the order to divert to Marston Moor but never arrived, for reasons that were never understood the aircraft eventually crashed in Co.Galway, Ireland with the loss of all on board. It was considered that the crew of EB134 had followed a reciprocal compass bearing and flew west not east.
Pilot - Sgt Leo Whicher Craven RAFVR (939560).