Halifax DT510 at Riccall airfield.
At 15.37hrs on 12th March 1943 this aircraft was in the process of landing at Riccall following a conversion training flight with 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit when a tyre burst on landing. The aircraft entered a swing and before the pilot was able to check the swing the undercarriage collapsed, it then groundlooped and came to rest badly damaged.
Pilot - F/O Dennis Percival Puddephatt RAFVR (136541).
Halifax DT510 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 13th September 1942. On 14th October 1942 it crashed on landing at Linton on Ouse after an operational flight initially sustaining a Cat.B/FB damage assessment. The repair was carried out on site at Linton on Ouse and given the time it took this does not appear to have been downgraded to Cat.Ac because it took until 20th February 1943 to make it servicable again. On completion of the repair it was returned to 78 Squadron. On 28th February 1943 it was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. On 12th March 1943 it crashed at Riccall. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 21st March 1943 having clocked up just short of 117 flying hours.
Dennis Puddephatt was born in the Brentford area of Middlesex in 1917. He must have joined the RAFVR in the early years of the war,
when he received a commission on 1st May 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) he was in the rank of Warrant Officer. He
was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 1st November 1942. He completed this conversion training at Riccall and was posted to 77 Squadron.
On the night of 13th / 14th May 1943 he was flying Ops to Buchum in Halifax JB892 when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter,
sadly he and his crew were all killed and all are buried in Sleen General Cemetery, Holland. It is possible that his crew who were
with him when he died were also with him when this mishap at Riccall occurred.