Halifax DT777 damaged in the air, landed at Linton on Ouse airfield.

On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 this 78 Squadron Halifax was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart. The crew took off from Linton on Ouse at 21.03hrs but while outbound and over the French coast this aircraft and Halifax HR735 of 158 Squadron collided. Both aircraft damaged their rudders. The crew of this aircraft abandoned the flight and made for home. They jettisoned the bomb load and landed at 01.02hrs at Linton on Ouse.

Pilot - P/O Brian Alfred Riggs RAAF (416033).

Flight Engineer - Sgt D Reid.

Navigator - Sgt John Henry Lascelles RAFVR (1377291).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt J Adamson.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Anthony Thomas Covacevitch RAAF (405173).

Air Gunner - Sgt J Edwards.

Air Gunner - F/Sgt Leslie Allan Mallory RCAF (R/94772). On this night 78 Squadron Halifax DT771 was damaged by an enemy aircraft on the return flight after leaving the target. The squadron records are not precise in stating that a return to base was made but it does mention the landing time and this was ninety minutes before the other 78 Squadron aircraft landed. Purely because of this I make the assumption that it landed in the south of England which would have been a shorter time to landing that returing to base.

Halifax DT777 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 29th January 1943. It appears to have had an uneventful life until hitting a tree in flight on 9th April 1943 in the Cottam area. A safe landing was then made and Cat.A/FA damage was quickly repaired in 36 hours. It then sustained minor damage on 15th April 1943 in a mid-air collision that saw minor Cat.A/FB damage be the damage assessment. The aircraft was repaired on site and returned to 78 Squadron use. On 14th May 1943 it was being flown on Ops to Bochum when it was abandoned in the Cologne area. One member of the crew was killed while six became PoWs. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 18th May 1943 having clocked up a total of 176.25 flying hours.
I have not identified all this crew. Brian Riggs, John Lascelles and Anthony Covacevitch were all awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron.

Sgt Mallory was killed on the night of 23rd / 24th August 1943 when 78 Squadron Halifax JD310 failed to return from Berlin. He is buried at Berlin War Cemetery.

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