During the early hours of 17th June 1944 the crew of this aircraft were one of 433 Squadron about to fly an operational flight along with 424 Squadron and 433 Squadron aircraft and crews who were also based at Skipton on Swale in support of advancing D-Day troops. The weather on this night was poor, low cloud was down to ground level across the airfield and in the process of taking off one aircraft, Halifax LW370, swung off the runway in use and then became bogged down just off it but blocking other aircraft from taking off. Because of this the runway in use was quickly changed to try to allow the other waiting crews to take off and keep up with the bombing force. The waiting crews were already lined up along the third runway that ran across the southern side of the airfield, as the runway was changed they had to taxi around from facing west to facing east. A line of Sandra Lights was placed on what was initially the left side of the line runway they were to taxi down to allow pilots to see the direction they were to travel, this line was fine when the aircraft headed west because the pilot's seat was on the left side of the fuselage. Once the aircraft had managed to turn around the line of lights was still visible but the pilot's field of vision had to then change to see them as they would need to look across to the right side of the aircraft. The crew of Halifax LV911 had managed to turn around, taxi and had stopped to await their turn to take off. The crew of 424 Squadron Halifax LW119 had also turned around and taxied behind LV911 but in trying to keep view of the lighting their forward vision was reduced. The burn time of the Sandra Lights was limited and they began to go out before all the aircraft had taken off. Unfortunately at 01.30hrs Halifax LW119 taxied into the back of Halifax LV911 and sadly the rear gunner in his turret in LV911 received fatal injuries. LV911 sustained a damaged tail while LW119 sustained propeller damage.
Rear Gunner - P/O Donald Ellsworth Horton RCAF (J/86837), aged 21, of Milestone, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B/G/2).
Pilot - P/O William Henry Wright RCAF (J/86486). Later DFC and died on 24-10-1944.
Navigator - F/O D G Townsend RCAF (J/21822).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Luther Gambold RAFVR (176971).
Air Bomber - Sgt G S Sephton RCAF (R/168370).
Flight Engineer - Sgt H K Partridge RCAF (R/75234).
Air Gunner - Sgt Michael Douglas O'Reilly RCAF (R/225391). Later DFC.
Donald Horton was born on 27th November 1922 at Wolseley, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Elgar and Helen Louise (nee Campbell) Horton. He lived in Milestone, Saskatchewan and was still a student when he enlisted for RCAF service in Regina, Saskatchewan on 21st July 1942. After training in Canada he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 14th May 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 23 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 433 Squadron in December 1943. He was granted a commission on 25th May 1944. His brother P/O Alan Gerald Horton RCAF (J/36226) was serving in Yorkshire at the time with 427 Squadron and attended the funeral.