On the evening of 30th January 1943 this 158 Squadron aircraft took off from Rufforth airfield at 17.24hrs to undertake a mine laying operational flight. They dropped their mines at 19.11hrs from 2,000 feet and made for home, landing at Rufforth at 22.07hrs. The landing was heavy and this caused damage to the undercarriage.
Pilot - Sgt Harold Edmund Witham RAFVR (1332048).
Navigator - Sgt John Woolaghan RAFVR (1386731).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt John Harris RAFVR (1339498).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Philip Grenville Lyon RAFVR (949980).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Edward Ashdown RAFVR (657089).
Air Gunner - Sgt Benjamin Harvey Bishop RAAF (406557).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ernest Frederick Smith RAFVR (632681).
All but Sgt Woolaghan were killed on 11th March 1943 when 158 Squadron Halifax DT748 crashed near Marson-sur-Barbourne, France on Ops to Stuttgart. They are buried at Marson-sur-Barbourne Churchyard, France.
Halifax DT720 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Rufforth on 30th December 1942. It carried the squadron code "NP-P". As a result of damage sustained following it's first operational flight on 30th January 1943 minor Cat.Ac/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Rufforth. The aircraft was returned to 158 Squadron charge on 10th February 1943 and then then moved to Lissett with them on 28th February 1943. DT720 next flew operationally on 3rd March 1943 but as "NP-Y". The aircraft was then transferred to 10 Squadron at Melbourne on 12th April 1943 and was coded "ZA-L", it first flew operationally with 10 Squadron on 23rd May 1943. On 12th June and also 26th June 1942 it sustained flak damage with minor Cat.A/FB resulting each time, followed by a repair on site both times at Melbourne. The aircraft was transferred to 466 Squadron on 20th September 1943 but it did not fly operationally with them. On paper the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall on 12th March 1944. It served there until failing a major inspection on 13th November 1944 that saw it being struck off charge.
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