Lancaster LM549 at Carnaby airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th May 1944 the crew of this 106 Squadron aircraft were tasked with an operational flight to bomb a target at Nantes. They took off from base of Metheringham at around 22.30hrs and bombed the target area at 01.43hrs from 8,400 feet. On the return flight the Lancaster was attacked and damaged by enemy night fighters but was eventually driven off by the return fire from the Lancaster's air gunners. The full nature of the damage is not known other than one of the main undercarriage legs appears to have sustained damage. The crew were diverted north to land at the emergency landing strip at Carnaby because of the damage. The crew made a one-wheeled landing there at 05.30hrs but aircraft eventually settled onto the wing with the damaged undercarriage, the aircraft came to rest badly damaged.
Pilot - P/O Alan Sidney Monaghan RAAF (420840).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Charles Findley Swinley RAF (574565).
Navigator - F/Sgt Hubert Gerald Philpott RAFVR (1334255).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Norman Curteis Thomas Wand RAFVR (1603399).
Wireless Operator - Sgt George Arthur Poulter RAFVR (1323162).
Air Gunner - Sgt Stanley Frederick Gay RCAF (R/209167).
Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Kenneth Sheridan RCAF (R/187618).
On 7th July 1944 this crew were flying Lancaster ME831 on an operational flight to a target in France when it was badly damaged. All baled out and survived the landing. Sgt Wand and Sgt Poulter became PoWs while the other five managed to evade capture. P/O Monaghan arrived back in the UK before the end of August 1944. Monaghan and Swinley were awarded the DFC for service with 106 Squadron.