On 29th November 1943 this 1679 Heavy Conversion Flight aircraft was being taxied around East Moor airfield to a dispersal point when it over-ran the dispersal point and into a ditch. The pilot did not apply enough brake pressure in a strong tail wind. The aircraft was soon repaired and would crash at Topcliffe less than a month later.
Pilot - Sgt Walter Fernyhough RCAF (R/157640).
Sgt Fernyhough and his crew were soon posted to 432 Squadron. On 29th June 1944 P/O Fernyhough DFC (J/85610) was flying Halifax MZ591, of 432 Squadron, when the aircraft failed to return from an operational flight to bomb Metz, France. The aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Chevrieres, near Creil. All are buried in Creil Communal Cemetery. Their then wireless operator, P/O Woolfenden, baled out and became a PoW. This was P/O Fernyhough's thirtieth operational flight with 432 Squadron.
Lancaster DS615 was built by Armstrong Whitworth and was initially taken on charge by 115 Squadron on 27th February 1943. It sustained minor Cat.Ac/FB damage on 27th March 1943 and following a repair on site was returned to 115 Squadron on 5th June 1943. The aircraft was transferred to East Moor airfield on 2nd July 1943 and joined 1679 Conversion Unit on 19th August 1943 (though the AM Form 78 has the taken on charge date as being 20th August 1943). On 29th November 1943 it sustained minor damage at East Moor with Cat.A/FA damage being the damage assessment. A repair on site was made and it was returned to 1679 Heavy Conversion Flight. On 21st December 1943 the aircraft crashed at Topcliffe, it was badly damaged and a Cat.E/FA (Burnt) damage assessment was made. The aircraft was struck off charge on 6th January 1944.
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