Halifax LW437 damaged in the air, landed at Skipton on Swale airfield.
On the night of 9th / 10th April 1944 this 424 Squadron aircraft was to be used to fly an operational flight to bomb a marshalling yard target at Villeneuve St.George, Paris and took off from Skipton on Swale airfield at 20.56hrs. The aircraft began the normal climbing and circling routine around the area of their base to gain height and also to allow all the squadron aircraft to get airborne so all would then fly off as a bomber stream together. At around 21.20hrs and having reached 8,000 feet roughly over their base Halifax LV960 of 427 Squadron flew across the general area at the same height and a collision occurred. Halifax LW437 lost part of the port rudder, fin, elevator, the rear turret was damaged and tail wheel knocked off. Despite the damage the pilot maintained control, he flew towards the coast although a position given in the squadron records plots to the crew jettisoning the bomb load in an area inland from Filey before returning to base and landing safely at Skipton on Swale at 22.18hrs.
Pilot - F/O Joseph Maurice Lucien Lambert RCAF (J/20360).
Navigator - WO Wilfred Thomas Ferguson Peacock RCAF (R/98453).
Air Bomber - F/O Gordon Lyle Coutts RCAF (J/20167).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO L A Mailman RCAF (R/124635).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Robert Benjamin Glynder Scammell RAFVR (1836156).
Air Gunner - Sgt C J Pineau RCAF (R/217641).
Air Gunner - Sgt H J Harms RCAF (R/192633).