Halifax JB857 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the night of 8th / 9th April 1943 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to attack Duisburg but returned to base early because of a problem. At 23.05hrs the aircraft appears to have landed down wind at Linton on Ouse and drifted resulting in the undercarriage collapsing.
Pilot - P/O Donald McClelland RAFVR (139420).
? - Sgt E Ackroyd.
? - F/Sgt J W Beals.
? - P/O Ernest Edward Tingley RAFVR (141268).
Wireless Operator? - Sgt Edward James Currie RAFVR (1377365).
? - Sgt J R Brown.
? - P/O Geoffrey Corbett Stevenson RAFVR (141808).
It is possible that the Sgt E J Currie listed above was one Edgar James Currie, if so then he received a commission on 17th April 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was later posted to 97 Squadron and promoted to F/O on 17th October 1943, on the night of 30th/31st March 1944 he was flying as a wireless operator in Lancaster ND390 on Ops to Nuremburg when the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in Germany. All the crew were killed and they are now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, he was thirty two years old and was married. His wife Coralie Currie lived in East Dulwich, London.
The G.C.Stevenson listed above was almost certainly Geoffrey Corbett Stevenson RAFVR (141808) who received a commission on 21st February 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was promoted to F/O on 21st August 1943 and later to F/Lt on 21st February 1945. He relinquished his commission of F/Lt in the RAFVR on 12th June 1958.
Ernest Tingley received a commission on 30th January 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He must have been posted to 76 Squadron soon after this incident as he was awarded the DFC for service with 76 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was later promoted to F/O on 30th July 1943 and F/Lt on 30th January 1945. He died in Filey, North Yorkshire in 2005.
Donald McClelland received a commission on 24th November 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency), he rose to F/O on probation (war subs) on 24th May 1943 and was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was later promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 24th November 1944. Post-War he relinquished his commission on 12th August 1947 in the RAFVR retaining the rank of F/Lt but was appointed to a commission in the RAFVR (General Duties Branch) as F/O on 30th August 1948 and promoted to F/Lt on 1st March 1951 (with seniority of 28th July 1950). As F/O he transferred from the Secretarial Branch to the General Duties Branch on 6th June 1955 (with seniority of 15th June 1954) and reverting to the rank of P/O. He was then appointed to a commission in the RAFVR (Training Branch) as F/O on 25th March 1959 and was promoted to F/Lt on 29th June 1969 and to S/Ldr on 1st October 1965. From 23rd March 1966 S/Ldr McClelland was appointed commanding officer of No.1 (County of Hertford)
Maritime Headquarters Unit. He relinquished this command on 1st July 1969 and transferred to the Reserve. On 1st January 1970 he was awarded the OBE. He reliquished his commission in the RAuxAF Reserve of Officers on 24th April 1970 retaining the rank of W/Co and finally reliquished his commission in the RAFVR on 5th March 1971 (Training Branch).
Halifax BB857 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 12th March 1943. As a result of the damage on 8th April 1943 Cat.E/FB (Salvage) damage was the damage assessment. It was struck off charge on 16th April 1943 having clocked up an impressive 14.50 hours flying.