Halifax HR734 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 22.49hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 17,000 feet at 01.10hrs but while over the target area the aircraft received flak damage to the a starboard wing attachment bolt. Despite this damage the crew flew back to base and landed safely at Lissett at 03.56hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr Neil Hargous Elliot RAF (40094).
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Griffin Davis RAF (815070).
Navigator - Sgt Leslie Vidler RAF (658877).
Air Bomber - P/O Arthur Westcombe Cole RAFVR (135634).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Edward Henson RAFVR (1243112).
Air Gunner - P/O John Drummie RAFVR (139828).
Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Harold Thacker RAFVR (1398360).
On 1st September 1943 the above crew apart from P/O Drummie were shot down in Halifax HR937 during an operational flight to Berlin. P/O Thacker was killed and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery while the others were made POWs.
Halifax HR734 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was flown to 48 M.U. at Hawarden on 28th February 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Lissett on 24th March 1943. On 15th April 1943 it sustained minor flak damage on Ops to Stuttgart, Cat.A/FB damage resulted and it was repaired on site. On 28th May 1943 it again sustained flak damage on Ops Essen, again Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 25th June 1943 it was again damaged by flak on Ops to Wuppertal, Cat.A/FB damage assessment and again it was repaired on site. On 4th July 1943 it failed to return from Ops to Cologne and four of the crew were killed while three became PoWs. Cat.E(m) damage was the assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 7th July 1943 having clocked up a total of 165 flying hours from new.