Halifax JD323 damaged on Ops, landed at Leeming airfield.
On the night of 2nd / 3rd August 1943 this 408 Squadron was used to undertake an operational flight to bomb Hamburg. The aircraft took off from Leeming airfield at 22.56hrs. Before reaching the target area and just after crossing the enemy coast while flying at 15,000 feet the aircraft flew through Cumulus Nimbus clouds and a thunderstorm, icing conditions would have formed on the flying control surfaces of the aircraft and in this case the artificial horizon instrument on the cockpit panel became unservicable. Having lost control the aircraft went into a spin. The pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft at 01.45hrs. The wireless operator was able to leave the aircraft but the others on board were unable to get clear. Having lost 3,000 feet in height the pilot then managed to regain control and cancelled the order to abandon the aircraft. The crew jettisoned the bomb load and decided to return to base, landing at Leeming at 04.35hrs.
During the period of loosing control and regaining control the pilot may have injured himself. The following information was found in rear gunner Stan Campbell's obituary, and whilst slightly biased towards him, there is no doubt some truth to these events. He was initially trapped in his turret when control was lost but then found himself acting as a stand-in pilot as the pilot had sustained some degree of injury. Stan Campbell then acted as pilot and guided the aircraft home with the remaining crew on board. That said I am certain that had Campbell flown a crippled bomber home saving the life of his injured pilot then surely he would be put up for an award of the highest order; as he wasn't suggests perhaps the story was re-told in later years! Campbell was however nick-named "The Hamburg Kid" by his crew after this incident which does suggest some degree of truth to the matter.
Pilot - Sgt John Douglas Harvey RCAF (R/141147).
Navigator - Sgt Eric James Hurd RCAF (C/18877).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Stephen William Dempsey RCAF (J/21039).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Shire RAFVR (1394163). Baled out, became a PoW.
Rear Gunner - Sgt K L Davison RCAF.
Mid Upper Gunner- Sgt Stanley Enos Campbell RCAF (R/160645).
Flight Engineer - Sgt H J Branton RAF. (Possibly Henry John Branton RAFVR (1604002)).