Halifax LW174 damaged in the air, landed at Croft airfield.
During the evening of 23rd October 1944 this 434 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Croft airfield at 16.28hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 18,500 feet at 19.40hrs though thick cloud onto target markers. While over the target area the aircraft was struck from above by a falling bomb released by a higher flying aircraft and damage to the leading edge of the tail plane resulted. Despite the damage the crew flew the aircraft back to Croft and landed at 22.40hrs.
Pilot - F/O Murdoch Harvie RCAF (J/24818).
Navigator - F/O William A Thompson RCAF (J/36337).
Air Bomber - F/O Robert E Weale RCAF (J/35531).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Gordon W Galloway RCAF (J/88976).
Flight Engineer - P/O Norman James RAFVR (183644).
Air Gunner - Sgt Fred A Hitchman RCAF (R/209321).
Air Gunner - P/O Percy W Dallner RCAF (J/87806).