Halifax HR735 damaged in the air, landed at Lissett airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 this 158 Squadron Halifax was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart. The crew took off from Lissett at 21.19hrs but while outbound and over the French coast this aircraft and Halifax DT777 of 78 Squadron collided at 23.12hrs. Both aircraft damaged their rudders. The crew of this aircraft abandoned the flight and made for home. They jettisoned the bomb load at 00.58hrs and landed at 01.23hrs at Lissett.
Pilot - F/Lt Kenneth Harper Reynolds RAF (47361).
Second Pilot - F/O Dennis Francis Bertera RAFVR (118065).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Wiliam James Wilson (549161).
Navigator - P/O Frederick Worsnop RAFVR (142320).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt George Wildig RAFVR (919771).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Thomas Winship RCAF (J/9779).
Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Alfred Weatherill RAFVR (148094).
Air Gunner - Sgt Clement Robert Buckland RAFVR (1102306).
William Wilson was awarded the DFM for service with 158 Squadron.
On 16th April 1943 Dennis Bertera was flying as captain of 158 Squadron Halifax HR779 on Ops to Mannheim when the aircraft was badly damaged outbound and crash landed in France. Bertera evaded capture.
On 11th August 1943 F/O Frederick Worsnop was killed when 158 Squadron Halifax HR938 failed to return from an operational flight to Nurnberg. he is buried at Florennes Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Douglas Weatherill was later granted a commission. He was awarded the DFC for service with 158 Squadron. On 24th June 1944 he was killed when Lancaster ND734 of 35 Squadron failed to return from an operational flight to Coubronne. He is buried Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Clement Buckland was made a PoW on 2nd August 1943 when Halifax HR71 was shot down on Ops to Hamburg.
Halifax HR735 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was flown to 48 MU at Hawarden on 27th February 1943. On 29th March 1943 it was taken on charge by 158 Squadron at Lissett. As a result of damage sustained in the mid-air collision on 15th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment that saw it repaired on site. It sustained battle damage on Ops on 28th May 1943 that again saw a Cat.A/FB damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 22nd June 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Krefeld with the loss of it's then seven man crew. Cat.E(m) damage was the assessment recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 24th June 1943 having clocked up a total of 115 flying hours from new.
Kenneth Reynolds was awarded the DFC for service with 158 Squadron.