Halifax LW268 at Lissett airfield.

At 17.30hrs on 22nd October 1943 the crew of this 158 Squadron aircraft were to fly an operational flight to bomb Kassel. During the take off run from Lissett the starboard main tyre burst so the undercarriage was raised to try and stop the aircraft before it swung off the runway. The aircraft came to rest on the edge of the airfield and a fire broke out, later that night part of the bomb load exploded and the aircraft was totally destroyed.

Pilot - Sgt Wesley Cyril Glydon RCAF (R/132002).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Albert Bierton RAFVR (1615999).

Navigator - Sgt Frederick Arthur Hicks RAFVR (1315606). Slightly injured.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Arthur Leslie Hulse RAFVR (1323051).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Henry Driver RAFVR (1272058).

Air Gunner - Sgt Dennis William Wood RAFVR (1585362). Slightly injured.

Air Gunner - Sgt Clifford Henry James Garrett RCAF (R/115415).

On the night of 20th December 1943 all of the above were flying in 158 Squadron Halifax LW245 on Ops to Frankfurt, while making their way from the target area their aircraft was struck from above by falling incendiary bombs being jettisoned from a higher flying aircraft, one of the incendiaries appears to have lodged in the port wing and a fire developed which could not be put out. All airmen abandoned the aircraft but Sgt Hulse had probably sustained injuries in a bad landing and died on 10th February 1944, he was twenty years old and is buried in Berlin War Cemetery. Everyone else saw out the war as PoWs.

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