Halifax LW682 at East Moor airfield.

At 22.30hrs on 13th March 1944 this 432 Squadron aircraft was being taxied around the perimeter track at East Moor airfield prior to take-off for an operational flight to Le Mans when, at the corner of the airfield, the crew mistook which side of the airfield lighting they were meant to be taxying. The aircraft left the perimeter track and ran the wrong side of the lighting until it struck a gun emplacement at the edge of the airfield. The crew left the damaged aircraft and then flew the spare aircraft, Halifax LK765, on the task.

Pilot - F/Sgt Chester Russell Narum RCAF (R/159116).

Navigator - F/Sgt Reginald Percy Geoson RCAF (R/159474).

Air Bomber - Sgt Louis Edmund Pigeon RCAF (R/183788).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Anthony Henry Marini RCAF (R/162818).

Air Gunner - Sgt Robert William Rathwell RCAF (R/207897).

Air Gunner - Sgt Samuel Saprunoff RCAF (R/168720).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Robert Thomson RAFVR (1572448).

The AM Form 78 for Halifax LW682 states that it was taken on charge by 432 Squadron on 2nd March 1944. The 432 Squadron records refer to this aircraft as carrying the squadron code "QO-C". The aircraft suffered Cat.Ac/FA damage at East Moor on 13th March 1944. This incident is logged on the aircraft's AM Form 78 and also an AM Form 765c exists within the pilot's service file. It would have been repaired on site at East Moor if it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage. There appears to then be an error in the squadron records and also on the AM Form 78. The 432 Squadron records list this aircraft as being used operationally on 6th/7th, 7th/8th, 18th/19th, 25th/26th, 26th/27th and then finally on 30th/31st March 1944. On the night of 30th / 31st March 1944 the crew named above were flying an operational flight to bomb Nurnburg when their aircraft was shot down over Germany, Goeson, Pigeon and Marini became PoWs while the other were killed. In the Squadron records and also casualty records the aircraft they were flying is given as being Halifax LW682. It's AM Form 78 records it as Cat.Em on 30th March 1944 and logs it being then struck of charge on 2nd April 1944. In itself this sounds fine for the history. Unfortunately Halifax LW682 is then recorded as being with 426 Squadron in May 1944. They converted from Lancasters in April 1944, was first used LW682 operationally on 8th May 1944 and was then lost on Ops on 12th / 13th May 1944.

The AM Form 78 for Halifax LW687 states it was taken on charge by 432 Squadron on 2nd March 1944 and was listed as missing Cat.Em on 30th March 1944 with it then being struck off charge on 2nd April 1944. I would suggest that this was the "LW682" that was lost on Ops on 30th March 1944. Halifax LW682 was probably repaired on site at East Moor after the crash on 13th March 1944 and then almost certainly transferred to 426 Squadron when they began receiving Halifaxes in April 1944. The 426 Squadron record book mentions some arriving from East Moor but does not identify them.

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