Halifax LL597 damaged in the air, landed at Pocklington airfield.
During the evening of 2nd November 1944 this 102 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf and took off from Pocklington at 16.23hrs. The crew released their bomb load on to the target area from 17,000 feet at 19.33hrs but while over the target area the aircraft was hit by falling incendiaries dropped by a higher flying aircraft. One incendiary started a fire in the rear fuselage that was later extinguished by the flight engineer and the rear gunner using a hand held Graviner extinguishers but caused dmage to the elevator and rudder trimming. Without their actions the result may have been much more serious. Despite the damage a normal landing at Pocklington was made at 22.10hrs without further incident.
Pilot - F/O Oliver Cecil Cronshaw RAFVR (175011).
Navigator - P/O Robert Arthur Hollingworth RAFVR (183916).
Air Bomber - WO J A Dixon RCAF (R/202676).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt A H Macaulay / MacCauley.
Flight Engineer - F/O John Piercy Oliver DFM RAFVR (170691).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt W M Fraser.
Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Douglas Dickie Horner RAFVR (1823819).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt R Jones.