Halifax MZ373 at Catfoss airfield.
During the early hours of 15th October 1944 this 158 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Duisburg and took off from Lissett airfield at 00.19hrs. The crew released the bomb load from 18,000 feet at 03.27hrs. Almost certainly because of the damage caused at Lissett earlier when Halifax LK850 exploded, returning 158 Squadron aircraft were forced to divert away and because Catfoss was nearby a number of aircraft appear to have landed there. Ground crews at Catfoss were struggling to get all the aircraft onto dispersals and there was a backlog, so much so that Halifax MZ373 was forced to wait at the end of the runway after landing there at 06.16hrs. At 06.18hrs 158 Squadron Halifax MZ927 landed at Catfoss but touched down slightly too far down the runway to be able to stop in the distance available. Ahead of this aircraft sat Halifax MZ373 and MZ927 ran into the tail of this aircraft. Minor damage resulted to both aircraft. A photograph is shown in William Chorley's book "In Brave Company" that is credited as being MZ373 having sustained damage as a result of a collision on 1st October 1944 after landing from Ops. With respect this cannot be correct as 158 Squadron did not fly operationally on this date. I believe the photograph probably shows the damage after the collision on 15th October 1944.
Pilot - F/O Ronald Desmond Campbell RAFVR (182957).
Navigator - Sgt John Smellie RAFVR (970349).
Air Bomber - F/O Lyle Horace Kemp RCAF (J/36906).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Ronald James Norfolk RAFVR (149486).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Jack Thomas Brimley Billingham RAFVR (1869500).
Air Gunner - Sgt Edward Charles Frampton RAFVR (1896168).
Air Gunner - Sgt James Barlow RAFVR (1819133).