Halifax MZ865 damaged in the air, returned to Leeming airfield.
During the afternoon of 14th August 1944 the crew of this 429 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Aisy and took off from Leeming at 12.34hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto target markers at 15.17hrs though could not see the target because of nil visibility. The squadron records record that the crew reported flak two miles south of the target but does not mention that the aircraft was hit. The crew later sent a wireless message to state that the navigator would require an ambulance on landing at Leeming. They landed at 17.08hrs and the navigator was initially admitted to station sick quarters but the following day was transferred to the military hospital at Northallerton. It took until 6th October 1944 for him to be deemed fit and returned to 429 Squadron. He was unable to attend the funeral of his pilot, the details of which are given below.
Pilot - F/O Leo John David Di Marco RCAF (J/16455).
Navigator - F/O Douglas Campbell Pole RCAF (J/25541). Injured.
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Francis Walter Manchip RCAF (R/114328).
Flight Engineer - Sgt E S C Clark RCAF (R/174167).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O J C Munnoch RCAF (J/38444).
Air Gunner - F/O H B Crothers RCAF (J/39037).
Air Gunner - P/O A G MacKenzie RCAF (J/39479).
The previously injured navigator Douglas Pole returned to 429 Squadron but was then killed on 23rd October 1944 flying in Halifax MZ906 on Ops to Essen. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
On 19th August 1944 Leo DiMarco and his wife Norma (nee Terrett) was riding a motorcycle between Annan and Longtown when he was in collision with a lorry loaded with milk near Gretna travelling in the opposite direction. It seemed likely that the lorry driver had cut a corner and struck the motorcycle. Leo died instantly while his wife Norma died of her injuries a few hours later. Leo and Norma Di Marco are buried at Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. He was twenty four years old, his wife was probably twenty three years old. They left a baby son, David.