Halifax LW438 at Skipton on Swale airfield.
On the night of 22nd / 23rd March 1944 this 424 Squadron aircraft was used to fly an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt and took off from Skipton on Swale airfield at 19.02hrs.
The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 22,000 feet at 22.02hrs. On the approach to land the undercarriage was lowered but did not fully lock down owing to a fault with the hydraulic system. On landing at Skipton on Swale at 01.17hrs the undercarriage legs both collapsed and the aircraft skidded to a halt on its belly.
Pilot - F/O William Paul Hugli RCAF (J/12224).
Navigator - F/O George Stephen Coleman RCAF (J/22862).
Air Bomber - F/Sgt Harold Edward May RCAF (R/156717).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt George Albert Alexander Pound RAFVR (1510041).
Flight Engineer - Sgt William Docherty RAFVR (1562816).
Air Gunner - Sgt George William Mayor RCAF (R/210290).
Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Scott Chapman RCAF (R/164478).
All of the above failed to return from Ops to Karlsruhe on 24th April 1944 flying Halifax HX318. Coleman and May became Pow while the others were killed.