Lancaster LM335 at Leconfield airfield.
On the night of 26th / 27th November 1943 166 Squadron supplied twenty one Lancasters on an operational flight to bomb Berlin. This aircraft took off from Kirmington at 17.14hrs and they released their bomb load over green target markers from 20,000 feet. Unfortunately during the flight the rear gunner's oxygen tube froze which resulted in him passing out for a time, he recovered and suffered no ill effects. The weather was poor on their return to the area of their base so all but either one or two of the returning 166 Squadron aircraft were diverted north to land in Yorkshire. Visibility was still bad over Yorkshire but twelve landed at Skipton on Swale airfield and others landed at Pocklington and Leconfield. Unfortunately the 166 Squadron records do not state where each aircraft landed. Six Lancasters received flak damage during the course of the night and were part of the number landing in Yorkshire. Lancaster LM335 successfully landed at Leconfield at 01.09hrs and was parked off the runway but was left with no lighting. Later that night a 50 Squadron Lancaster ED445 landed at Leconfield. At 02.03hrs Lancaster ED445 was being taxied around Leconfield airfield when it struck Lancaster EM335 and both aircraft were slightly damaged.
Pilot - F/O Fred Taylor RAFVR (136464).
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Alfred Hargreaves RAF (575689).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt W Watson RAFVR (1530857).
Navigator - Sgt L F McCarney RAFVR (1532536).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Sidney Nicholas Whitlock RAFVR (1393909).
Air Gunner - Sgt J Waddington
Air Gunner - Sgt David Wilson Inglis RAFVR (1569642).