Halifax DT782 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 12th / 13th March 1943 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Essen. Outbound
the aircraft's port outer engine failed so the crew aborted their flight and made for base. At 23.04hrs the
aircraft landed at Linton on Ouse airfield but because of the extra weight of the bomb load the aircraft
overshot, ran through the boundary and into a field. All on board escaped but the aircraft was badly damaged.
Pilot - W/Co Donald Clarence Smith RAFO (34251).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Harold Bruce Thompson RCAF (R/70208).
? - P/O Peter Medley John Harris RAFVR (144318).
? - Sgt F Hart.
? - Sgt Stephen Wilmot Palmer RAFVR (1191179).
Air Gunner - Sgt D Lock.
Air Gunner - Sgt Geoffrey Hope Cranswick RAFVR (778852).
Halifax DT782 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Company Ltd, at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 5th February 1943. While undertaking authorised low flying on 10th February 1943 the port inner engine struck a tree and was damaged. Only the engine sustained damage and a safe landing was made at Linton on Ouse where it required an engine change. As a result of further damage sustained at Linton on Ouse on 12th March 1943 Cat.E2/FB damage was the damage assessment which saw the aircraft written off. The AM Form 78 gives the date as being the following day. It was then struck off charge on 24th March 1943 and had clocked up a total of 51 flying hours in total.
Harold Thompson had earlier served with 415 Squadron, after 76 Squadron he was later posted to 51 Squadron. As Warrant Officer Class II he was killed on 15th March 1944 flying in Halifax LW497 which was hit by flak and crashed. He is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
Peter Harris received a commission on 20th January 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) but notification of this was only printed some time later on 4th June 1943 in the London Gazette. He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 20th July 1943. For service with 76 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 2nd June 1944. He was promted to F/Lt (war subs) on 20th January 1945. His name appears in a Service Voters List for 1945 found on the internet and normally a resident at Howletts, Willows Green, Essex.
Stephen Palmer received a commission on 30th May 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(148779) and was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 30th November 1943. For service with 76 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th October 1944. He was later promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 30th May 1945.
Sgt Lock was posted to to 1658 HCU on 1st June 1943.
Sgt Cranswick was still flying with 76 Squadron on 13th July 1943 when he filed a combat report now held in the National Archives. He was awarded the DFC for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 2nd June 1944. He received a commission on 27th May 1943.
Donald Smith's commission date is not yet known but must have been in the early 1930s. At the time of this incident near Linton on Ouse W/Co Smith waiting to take over command of 76 Squadron from W/Co G L Cheshire at the time of this incident. He had flown his first operational flight with 76 Squadron on 26th January 1943 to Lille and the Essen flight
detailed above was his third with them. In total he flew eighteen operational flights with them upto 18th November 1943. Probably for his service up to mid-1943 he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th August 1943 and while he was with 76 Squadron. He was also awarded the DSO for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 28th December 1943, the citation reads.. "In operations in the Middle East, Wing Commander Smith completed a very large number of sorties. More recently he has participated in numerous attacks on targets in Germany, including such centres as Berlin, Stuttgart, Kassel and many others equally important. He has at all times displayed exceptional skill, great courage and resolution and his achievements have been worthy of high praise." On 16th July 1943 he was the pilot of 76 Squadron Halifax DK179 returning from Ops when the aircraft ran out of fuel, some of the crew abandoned the aircraft and he belly landed in a field near Goole. Harris, Palmer, Cranswick and Thompson were flying with his on this instance.