Halifax HR725 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 22.57hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 20,000 feet at 01.06hrs but while over the target area the aircraft received flak damage to the bomb doors and port mainplane. Despite this damage the crew flew back to base and landed safely at Lissett at 03.37hrs. On 24th August 1943 all of the above apart from the wireless operator were flying Halifax HR725 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft was badly damaged and all baled out, they all survived and became prisoners of war.
Pilot - Sgt Haydon Bronte Frisby RAAF (416421).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Albert Victor Kyle RAFVR (1076972).
Navigator - Sgt Denis Ronald Paul De Laurier RAFVR (1381652).
Air Bomber - Sgt Harry Selman RAFVR (1042307).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Herbert Riches RAFVR (1330531).
Air Gunner - P/O Barney Paul Allen RCAF (J/21173).
Air Gunner - Sgt Gordon Gregory Heyes RAFVR (1239055).
On the night of 23rd / 24th August 1943 he was flying Halifax HR725 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter and it eventually crashed near Soltau, Germany, two of his crew died but he escaped and became a PoW. He was held at Dulag Luft between 25/8/43-28/8/43, Stalag Luft III at Sagan between 1/9/43-28/1/45 and Stalag IIIa Luckenwalde between 4/2/45-May 1945. While at Stalag Luft III he gained a reputation as a very skillful forger and map maker and much of his work was used in March 1944 during what became known as the Great Escape. He was eventually liberated by advancing Russian forces and arrived in UK on 26th May 1945. He left the UK on 8th August 1945 and was de-mob'ed in Australia on 5th December 1945. Post-war he returned home and married in the years that followed.
Haydon Frisby was born on 4th September 1921 in Adelaide, South Australia to Harry Clements Frisby. Through searching the internet it seems likely that his father Harry Frisby had served in WW1 and was injured as a notice in a hospital letter now PDF'ed on the internet states that his wife was Myrtle Frisby and that he was working as a railway porter before WW1 and living on Wattle Street, Fullerton, South Australia. A further newspaper cutting on "trove.nla.gov.au" mentions an accident in which he was injured whilst working as a railway guard when he was trapped between two wagons in the 1930s. His brother John Colin Frisby also served in the Australian Forces in WW2. Haydon Frisby was educated at St.Leonards Public School and Adelaide High School. He worked as a letting clerk for an estate agent E.J.Palk's Land Agency, Glenelg prior to enlisting into the RAAF on23rd June 1941 in Adelaide. After basic training in Australia he gained his Wings on 8th January 1942 and left Australia 16th May 1942 by ship. He
arrived the UK on 15th August 1942 and trained at 3 (P)AFU begining 29th August 1942, 24 O.T.U. begining 20th October 1942. Part of his service record appears to suggest that he had flown as a second pilot with 76 Squadron in early March 1943 but was then posted to 1652 H.C.U. on 8th March 1943 and following completion of his training here was posted to 158 Squadron on 29th April 1943. He later had a brief detachment to 1502 BAT Flight from 7th to 13th August 1943 and returned to 158 Squadron. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 30th June 1943 and was later promoted to F/O on 30th December 1943 but was in captivity by then (as detailed below) and F/Lt on 30th June 1945.
Halifax HR725 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd, at Radlett and was flown to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington on 22nd February 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 158 Squadron as new at Lissett on 29th April 1943. As a result of sustaining battle damage on 28th May 1943 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site, once repaired it was returned to 158 Squadron charge on 9th June 1943. On 24th August 1943 it failed to return from Ops to Berlin. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 26th August 1943 having clocked up 196 flying hours from new.