Halifax HR721 damaged in the air, landed at Lissett airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 this 158 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Lissett airfield at 22.47hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 16,500 feet at 01.14hrs but while over the target area the aircraft received flak damage to the cockpit. Despite this damage the crew flew back to base and landed safely at Lissett at 04.08hrs.
Pilot - Sgt John Standring Sugden RAFVR (1218145).
Second Pilot - Sgt R S White (probably Sgt Robert Stirratt White RAFVR (1388298)).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Eugene Heweston RAF (610183).
Navigator - Sgt William Edward Arthur Parry RAFVR (1149034).
Air Bomber - Sgt Donald McKay Black RAFVR (659019).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred Hawkins RCAF (R/93279).
Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Braidwood Leighton RAFVR (1023457).
Air Gunner - Sgt John Thomson Ross RCAF (R/123083).
Sgt Robert Stirratt White was killed on 29th June 1943 when 10 Squadron Halifax HR697 failed to return from Ops to Cologne. He is buried in Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Holland.
On 3rd October 1943 Heweston was killed on Ops to Kassell when Halifax LW296 failed to return, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Halifax HR721 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. and was delivered to 45 M.U. at Kinloss on 16th February 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Lissett on 26th March 1943. On 28th May 1943 it was slightly damaged by flak, Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 13th June 1943 it was again damaged by flak, Cat.Ac/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site with it returned to 158 Squadron on 30th July 1943. On 11th August 1943 the aircraft ran out of fuel on Ops to Nurnberg and was abandoned in the vicinity of Selsey Bill, unfortunately five of the crew were killed. A rescue launch located two of the crew alive. The aircraft was struck off charge on 23rd August 1943 and had clocked up a total of 96 flying hours from new.