During the afternoon of 18th August 1943 this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being flown on a series of training flights. During the course of the flying programme a landing was made at Lindholme following an half hour flight with what appears to have been a trainee crew. At 16.15hrs the aircraft had landed and was taxying in front of the watch office. The pilot at the controls was told that it was clear to turn the aircraft so began to turn the aircraft into the wind, unfortunately he was not aware that a new crew was getting into the aircraft at the rear for the next flight. As the pilot began to turn the aircraft it struck an airman waiting with his crew to board the aircraft. Sadly he was run over by the tail wheel of the aircraft and was killed. The aircraft received no damage. An investigation found that the pilot was not at fault, it was recommended that new orders be created by the bomber Group for handing aircraft over to new crews.
Air Gunner - Sgt Edwin James Christopher Stiles RAFVR (1391941), aged 21, of Norbury, Surrey. Buried Streatham Park Cemetery, Surrey.
Pilot - Sgt Derek William Hanson Butterfield RAFVR (1457696).
Crew - Names unknown.
This was Derek Butterfield's first mishap in a day. He crash landed Lancaster R5667 at Lindholme in the early hours of 19th August 1943. Derek Butterfield completed his training and was later posted to 12 Squadron. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 1st October 1943 (162505). P/O Butterfield was killed on 3rd October 1943 flying Lancaster DV222 on Ops to Munich when the aircraft crashed in the Walchensee. He was just twenty years old and is commemorated in the Runnymede Memorial. The aircraft (or parts of it) was salvaged from the lake in Bavaria, Germany in 1952.
Lancaster W4883 was built to contract B.69275/40 by Metrovic at Trafford Park and was awaiting collection in January 1943. On 25th January 1943 it was flown to A.V.Roe Ltd and was then taken on charge by 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme on 4th February 1943. As a result of damage at Lindholme on 27th February 1943 minor Cat.Ac/FA damage resulted. It was repaired on site and remained with unit once the repair was complete on 17th April 1943. On 18th August 1943 it was involved in a fatal accident at Lindholme when it struck and ran over an airman waiting to board it. The aircraft received no damage. It continued to be used by 1656 H.C.U. until sustaining another minor Cat.Ac/FA damage incident on 10th November 1943 at Lindholme. From this damage it was taken away by road and repaired by A.V.Roe Ltd in their works factory. Once the repair was complete it passed to 38 MU on 27th May 1944 and remaining in store until it was about to be taken on charge by No.6 Lancaster Finishing School at Ossington on 30th December 1944 on formation. On the same date it was flown to 32 MU so it probably never arrived at 6 L.F.S.. On 20th January 1945 received minor Cat.Ac/FA damage in a flying accident though no details of what happened are known. The damage was swiftly repaired by 3rd February 1945. On 20th February 1945 it was taken on charge by 231 Squadron at Full Sutton but on 15th January 1946 the unit disbanded so the aircraft was placed in MU storage. It was then struck off charge on 12th April 1946.
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