Halifax LK698 damaged by flak, returned to Tholthorpe airfield.

On the evening of 22nd November 1943 the crew of this 431 Squadron aircraft took off from Tholthorpe airfield at 16.46hrs for an operational flight to bomb Berlin. The aircraft was struck by flak outbound and the damage prevented the crew from continuing on to bomb the target area. They made an early return to Tholthorpe landing at 23.51hrs on three engines and a tyre burst on touching down. It stopped close to the intersection of Runways 28 and 34 initially blocking the runways and preventing further landings. Radio signals were sent to advice other returning crews to divert elsewhere. Once the location of where LK698 had stopped was investigated it was actually a hundred yards from the active runway so Flying Control reopened the airfield and, after advising of the update some crews landed at Tholthorpe.

Pilot - P/O Robert Percival Rubie RAFVR (159564).

Second Pilot - F/O Gordon Eugene Bishop RCAF (J/22393).

Navigator - P/O Robert Packer RAFVR (168971).

Bomb Aimer - P/O George Allison Greene RCAF (J/22852).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Charles Dennis Wood RAFVR (1272222).

Air Gunner - F/Sgt J Zohanovis RCAF (R/149736).

Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Benwell Morison RCAF (R/139397).

Flight Engineer - Sgt J I Roche RCAF (R/146207).

Gordon Bishop was flying as a second pilot with this more experienced crew before commencing operational flying with his own crew. On 29th December 1943 he was flying Halifax LK701 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the loss of all but one of his crew. He is buried in Hanover War Cemetery.
Robert Rubie was born at St.Ann's Bay, Jamaica on 4th May 1913 and was living there when he enlisted for RCAF service in 1941. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 15th October 1943. He was awarded the DFC for service with 431 Squadron, Gazetted on 15th September 1944, for a Tour with 431 Squadron which began on 15th March 1943 and continued until at least June 1944.

Robert Parker received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 10th November 1943. He was later posted to 405 Squadron and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 25th May 1945. His operational flying began in March 1943 and he had flown a series of operational anti-submarine patrols in Coastal Command before joining Bomber Command.

George Greene was awarded the DFC for service with 431 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th October 1944

John Morison was flying in Halifax MZ522 on 27th April 1944 when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter on Ops to Montzen. His then crew abaondoned the aircraft and he was made a PoW. He was the son of Col.Frank Morison KC DSO.

431 Squadron were posted to Croft airfield in December 1943. On the night of 15th March 1944 Roche was flying in Halifax LL152 on Ops to Dieppe with a different crew and was landing back at Croft just before midnight, as the aircraft run down the runway a hung-up 500lb bomb that had gone un-noticed fell from the aircraft and exploded tearing the rear of the Halifax apart. Both air gunners in the aircraft were killed instantly and while the front part of the aircraft tipped onto its nose and then caught fire everyone else on board managed to get clear and escaped injury.

Back to monthly table.