Lancaster W4924 at Lindholme airfield.

At 10.58hrs on 11th November 1943 the crew of this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were to take off from Lindholme airfield to undertake a training flight but as the aircraft picked up speed on the runway the pilot's foot slipped and pushed the right hand rudder pedal as far forward as it would travel. The aircraft swerved off the runway and could not be brought under control, the undercarriage collapsed and it skidded to a halt badly damaged.

Pilot - F/Sgt John Milton Booth RAAF (420334).

Crew - Names unconfirmed.

On 2nd / 3rd December 1943 F/Sgt Booth was flying Lancaster W4337 with 576 Squadron on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft crashed in Germany with the whole of his crew. His crew were probably training with him at 1656 HCU when the accident to Lancaster W4924 occurred. He was twenty one years old and he and his crew are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.

He was born on 1st May 1922 in Auburn, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service on 11th October 1941 in Sydney. After training in Australia he left in July 1942 for further training in Canada and just before leaving Australia he married Audrey Gough. On arrival in the UK he would train at 15 (P)AFU and 27 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU on 5th September 1943. With this training complete he was then posted to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on 18th November 1943 but was then posted to 576 Squadron (also at Elsham Wolds) on 25th November 1943.

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