Lancaster LL952 at Lindholme airfield.
On what appears to have been the night of 20th / 21st July 1944 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft was one tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb rail yards at Courtrai. They took off from Binbrook airfield at 23.58hrs and at 01.50hrs, just prior to reaching the target area Lancaster LL952 was struck by bullets fired by the rear guns of another Lancaster. The fuselage and mainplanes sustained damage. The crew released their bomb load from 10,000 feet at 01.56hrs and made for home. They did not land at Binbrook but diverted to Lindholme and landed there at 03.19hrs.
This information is drawn from the AM Form 1180 for the incident that names the pilot as F/Lt Critchley and also from the 460 Squadron records where the timings match. The 460 Squadron records however state that the named pilot flew Lancaster LM623 on this night. LL952 did receive Cat.B/FB damage on this night so the incident fits with it. LM623 did not. The AM Form 1180 has the pilot's name "P/O Stone RAAF" crossed out. P/O Stone was also a serving 460 Squadron pilot at the same time and on this night he flew Lancaster NE141, perhaps his rear gunner was the one who fired shots that damaged F/Lt Critchley's aircraft?
Pilot - F/Lt John Arthur Critchley RAAF (401614).
Flight Engineer - Sgt G W Knott RAF
Navigator - F/Sgt Murray Leo Armstrong RAAF (426484).
Bomb Aimer - W/O James Buchanan Brown RAAF (421240).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Roy St.George Samson RAAF (426771).
Air Gunner - Sgt E W Kendall RAFVR (1523153).
Air Gunner - Sgt F Shaw RAF
Lancaster LL952 was built by Armstrong Whitworth and was taken on charge as new by 460 Squadron on 30th April 1944. It sustained Cat.B/FB damage as a result of the incident on 21st July 1944 at Lindholme. The aircraft was then repaired by a team from Armstrong Whitworth but may have been repaired on site as it was returned to 460 Squadron on 16th August 1944 once repaired. Two days later the aircraft was transferred to 100 Squadron. On 16th September 1944 it received Cat.Ac/FB damage with a repair on site being made on site and it was returned to 100 Squadron on 30th September 1944. The aircraft crashed off Donna Nook on 21st May 1945 that saw the then crew being killed. Cat.E damage was recorded on the paperwork and the aircraft was struck off charge on 31st May 1945.