During the evening of 15th March 1944 431 Squadron Halifax LL152 undertook an operational flight to bomb a target at Amiens and landed at Croft at 23.47hrs. As the aircraft slowed at the end of the runway an explosion tore the rear of the aircraft off and the front was left tipped up on it's nose on fire. Unknown to the crew a 500lb bomb had hung-up and was still in the bomb bay. The jolt on landing released it and it fell against the bomb bay doors detonating it. Sadly both air gunners in LL152 were killed instantly as a result of this incident.
Halifax LL153 was also flown on the same operational sortie and they had landed at 23.45hrs at Croft without incident. Two minutes after this aircraft landed the crew would have been taxying around the airfield when Halifax LL152 exploded. Minor damage to Halifax LL153 occurred with its crew listed below.
Pilot - P/O Reginald Hanby RAFVR (159047).
Navigator - WO2 A Reed RCAF (R/142036).
Bomb Aimer - F/Lt Ronald Charles Instrell RFAVR (120886).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Douglas Prosser RAFVR (148778).
Air Gunner - P/O William Henry DFM RAFVR (160853).
Air Gunner - F/O Douglas Rowe Wiley RCAF (J/11131).
Flight Engineer - P/O Robert Heald RAFVR (172917).