Halifax HR734 damaged in the air, landed at Lissett airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 this 158 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart and took off from Lissett airfield at 21.11hrs. The crew made their first run on the target at 01.03hrs from 17,000 feet but the hydraulics were damaged by flak so only the incendiaries were released. The crew made a second run on the target at 01.25hrs from 14,000 feet (presumably to attempt to release the rest of the bomb load). Despite this damage the crew flew back to base and landed safely at Lissett at 05.23hrs.
Pilot - S/Ldr John Mortimer Viney RAF (42283).
Second Pilot - P/O Peter Heaton RCAF (J/16801).
Flight Engineer - P/O William Settle Smith RAFVR (143806).
Navigator - P/O Peter Heaton RCAF (J/16801).
Air Bomber - P/O George Henry Ward RAFVR (143219).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Kenneth George Cottrell RAFVR (1272556).
Air Gunner - Sgt Walter George Kemp RCAF (R/101485).
Air Gunner - P/O Ralph Johnston Clarke RCAF (J/17004).
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 was the damage assessment 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.