Halifax MZ595 damaged in the air, landed at Tholthorpe airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th October 1944 this 420 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Duisburg and took off from Tholthorpe airfield at 22.48hrs. At 00.48hrs and while flying at 20,000 feet inbound to the target this aircraft collided with 420 Squadron Halifax NA579, with the propellers of MZ595 striking the tail of NA579. The crew of MZ595 continued to the target and released their bomb load from 20,000 feet at 01.42hrs. Despite the damage they then flew back to Yorkshire and landed at Tholthorpe at 04.17hrs. The crew of Halifax NA579 abandoned the sortie and managed to fly back to make a safe landing at Woodbridge.
Pilot - F/O Elvet Baxter McCutcheon RCAF (J/25218).
Navigator - F/O Douglas Warren Ritchie RCAF (J/37201).
Air Bomber - F/O John Gordon Welk RCAF (J/36881).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Gilbert Skidmore RCAF (R/198481).
Flight Engineer - Sgt B A Wylie RCAF (R/178236).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt George Aylwyn Haacke RCAF (R/215618).
Air Gunner - Sgt David Oliver Mackay RCAF (R/263099).
Air Gunner - Sgt P Fimio RCAF (R/273806).
Elvet McCutcheon was later awarded the DFC for service with 420 Squadron. The recommendation for his DFC as located by Hugh Halliday, has a number of errors, in that it was on Ops to Duisburg earlier on 15th October 1944, not Wilhelmshaven later the same day which McCutcheon did not fly. It stated "On the night of 15th October 1944, Flying Officer McCutcheon was detailed to attack Wilhelmshaven in Germany. Before crossing the French coast on the way to the target, another friendly aircraft flying nearby began violent evasive action, colliding with Flying Officer McCutcheon?s machine. Despite the fact that his own aircraft suffered extensive damage to the fuselage, wings and tail assembly, this officer, in characteristic fashion, decided to press home his attack which he did with commendable skill and returned to make a safe landing at base. Throughout his tour, this officer has displayed skill, courage and keenness of the highest order in his attacks on most heavily defended German targets, and his gallantry merits the highest praise. It is for this reason that I recommend Flying Officer McCutcheon for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross." The pilot of Halifax NA579 was also awarded the DFC with the recommendation correctly giving the date this time for this collision.