Halifax LK799 at Croft airfield.
At 22.30hrs on the evening of 14th June 1944 a number of 431 and 434 Squadron aircraft were being marshalled along the perimeter track at Croft airfield prior to taking off for operational flights to bomb a target at Cambrai. At this time a member of ground crew was cycling alone the perimeter track when he decided to cross behind one of the Halifaxes. Unfortunately the slipstream created by the propellers of the aircraft infont blew him into a rotating propeller of 434 Squadron Halifax LK799 that was behind and he sustained severe injuries. It seems unlikely that the aircraft received any damage as Halifax LK799 took off at 23.00hrs that night but there was a slight delay between what became the first wave of 434 Squadron aircraft to get into the air and LK799 being the first of what became the second wave to get airborne. The flight was uneventful; the crew released their bomb load at 00.58hrs from 12,000 feet and landed at Croft at 03.10hrs.
Groundcrew - LAC Joseph Paul Emile Marcel Fontaine RCAF (R/141856). Injured.
Pilot - F/O Robert Alexander Pratt RCAF (J/19004).
Second Pilot - P/O Benjamin Lane Peterson RCAF (J/85778).
Navigator - P/O J Staples RCAF (J/86209).
Air Bomber - P/O Robert Glenn Samson RCAF (J/19899).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO I Goundrey RCAF (R/128526).
Flight Engineer - P/O Denzil Isaac Williams RAFVR (173605).
Air Gunner - WO J Ritchie RCAF (R/143539).
Air Gunner - P/O R Rice RCAF (R/86036).