Halifax JD216 damaged by friendly fire, returned to Leeming airfield.
On the night of 3rd / 4th July 1943 this 408 Squadron aircraft was undertaking an operational flight to bomb Cologne and had taken off from Leeming airfield at 22.55hrs. The crew bombed the target area and while on the return flight they were fired upon by the guns of another Halifax, the 408 Squadron Halifax received slight damage and the crew were able to bring the aircraft safely back to base and landed at Leeming at 04.59hrs.
Pilot - P/O Hector Beattie Lancaster RCAF (J/15308).
Navigator - Sgt John James Stefanchuk RCAF (R/58757).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt George Vivian Vincent Reid RCAF (R/92645).
Wireless Operator - Sgt Frank George Leahy RAFVR (1332716).
Air Gunner - Sgt John Henry Colin McClung RCAF (R/69464).
Air Gunner - Sgt James William Sturgess RAFVR (1316753).
Flight Engineer - Sgt William Robert Bryans RAFVR (1063523).
On the night of 9th / 10th July 1943 all of the above apart from Sgt Leahy were flying in Halifax JD216 on Ops to Gelsenkirchen when the aircraft crashed in Germany. All are now buried in Reichswald War Cemetery. The CWGC database lists Sgt Reid as serving with "1659 Squadron" which is an error, he had trained at 1659 Conversion Unit but was serving with / attached to 408 Squadron at the time of his death.
Frank Leahy received a commission to the rank of P/O on 17th March 1944. He was still serving with 408 Squadron when he was killed on 31st March 1944 flying in Lancaster LL633 which crashed in Germany. He is now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.