Halifax LW502 at Leconfield airfield.

During the afternoon of 27th June 1944 this 640 Squadron aircraft was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb a flying bomb site at Mimoyecques and the crew attempted to take off from Leconfield at 11.42hrs. As the aircraft picked up speed it began to enter a swing, the pilot managed to partially check the swing but did not fully correct it. The aircraft became airborne but as it was not on the line of the runway obstructions lay ahead. While only feet above ground level the aircraft struck a gun pit with the undercarriage. The aircraft then gained slightly more height and managed to just clear the Officer's Mess, guard room and the main gate and flew across the road that led past the airfield. Close to the side of the road was a line of telegraph poles and the starboard wing struck a pole breaking it. The aircraft then crashed in the ajoining field and came to rest badly damaged. A fire broke out though was extinguished before it spread. All on board escaped injury. Looking on a modern map the aircraft almost certainly crashed in a field on the northern side of the airfield, and between Grange Road and what is now Arram Road.

Pilot - F/Sgt Frederick John Papple RAAF (417511).

Navigator - F/Sgt Adesonyah Kwamina Hyde RAFVR (1398613).

Air Bomber - F/Sgt S I McLean.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Robert George Gunstone RAFVR (1601705).

Flight Engineer - Sgt S MacDonald.

Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas W Dakin.

Air Gunner - Sgt J William Burns.