Halifax DT554 at Linton on Ouse airfield.

On the night of 3rd / 4th February 1943 this 76 Squadron Halifax sustained minor damage following landing after an operational flight to Hamburg. The aircraft took off at 18.25hrs and landed at 00.09hrs at Linton on Ouse. While taxying three minutes after landing it collided with the stationary diverted 78 Squadron Halifax W7932 at a runway intersection that was either itself bogged down or had been bogged down shortly before the collision. The marshalling point had been changed and this caused both pilots some degree of confusion. The squadron records state that the navigational log of DT554 was destroyed following the crash.

Pilot - Sgt Leslie Jack Cursley RAF (550714).

Navigator - Sgt James Taylor RCAF (R/98145).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Thomas Edwards RAFVR (1033279). Injured.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Bartram Boyd RAFVR (1376657).

Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Graham Wright RAFVR (1415815).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Frederick James Platt RAFVR (969970).

Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard Collins RAFVR (1375761).

The first six named above were killed on 30th March 1943 when 76 Squadron Halifax DT563 was lost on Ops.

Sgt Collins was posted to 1501 Flight on 26th April 1943. He later received a commission and was made a PoW when 102 Squadron Halifax MZ649 failed to return from an operational flight.

Halifax DT554 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was initially taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 10th October 1942. On 5th December 1942 it was transferred to 76 Squadron at Linton on Ouse. On 12th December 1942 the port outer propeller struck a contractor's vehicle while taxying at Linton on Ouse sustaining Cat.A/FA damage which was repaired on site. It sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage on 4th February 1943 at Linton on Ouse and was repaired on site. Once repaired it was returned to 76 Squadron charge on 17th June 1943. On 20th July 1943 it was transferred to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. On 7th June 1944 it crashed north of Ripon on a training flight, Cat.E2/FA damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge on 18th June 1944.

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