On the night of 26th / 27th November 1943 the crew of this 619 Squadron aircraft took off from Woodhall Spa airfield at 17.21hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Berlin. On their return to the UK the weather and visibility over Lincolnshire was very poor and numerous Lincolnshire-based squadrons instructed their returning aircraft to divert north to land in Yorkshire following a few crashes to aircraft around midnight in Lincolnshire. The visibility over Yorkshire was not much better and a number of Lancasters would crash before they could land including at least three from 619 Squadron. Their diversion order was to initially land at Pocklington airfield but as they approached for a landing there they were re-diverted to Elvington. At 02.00hrs Lancaster DV335 was letting down to make a landing when it flew into a large tree and crashed in an ajoining field. The aircraft was fairly severely damaged but all on board survived. The crew returned to Woodhall Spa by train the following day.
Pilot - F/O Philip Alexander Buttar RCAF (J/18848).
? - Sgt Gerald Gordon Watt RAFVR (1815736).
Navigator? - P/O J G Noble RCAF (J/85551).
Bomb Aimer - P/O Robert Wakefield Wood RCAF (J/23602).
? - Sgt W Milligan.
Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas Fleetwood RAFVR (1353713).
Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Edward Hole RAFVR (1601781).
Thomas Fleetwood was awarded the DFM for service with 619 Squadron, Gazetted on 19th September 1944.
Gordon Watt was awarded the DFM for service with 619 Squadron, also Gazetted on 19th September 1944.
Philip Buttar began his operational tour with 619 Squadron on 22nd October 1943 with the mishap at Elvington being at the end of his third operational flight. For service with 619 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th August 1944. He died in 1997.