Halifax MZ926 damaged in the air, landed at Carnaby airfield.
During the morning of 14th October 1944 27 aircraft of 158 Squadron were detailed to be flown on operational sorties to bomb Duisburg, the squadron records state that of this number, some fourteen of their aircraft sustained flak damage. One of the fourteen damaged aircraft landed at Manston on return but all the others appear to have been flown back to Yorkshire to land. Exactly where each aircraft landed is not stated in the 158 Squadron records; the squadron records simply suggests they returned to base but some (or perhaps most) landed at nearby Carnaby.
Halifax MZ926 was one of the 158 Squadron aircraft that sustained flak damage. The aircraft took off from Lissett airfield at 06.40hrs, the crew released their bomb load onto the target from 18,000 feet at 09.09hrs but a minute before releasing the load the aircraft was struck by flak. As the flight progressed the one of the inner engines developed a major problem, possibly as a result of sustained flak damage and being then unable to be feathered, the propeller and reduction gear eventually broke away from the engine. As it came away struck the fuselage unfortunately injuring the wireless operator's foot. On their return to Yorkshire the aircraft was diverted to land at Carnaby and landed at 12.03hrs with the injured airman being taken to hospital.
Pilot - F/Lt Donald Simpson Checklin RAFVR (124551).
Navigator - F/O Allan McKenzie McDonald RAAF (419703).
Air Bomber - Sgt Geoffrey Littler RAFVR (1062261).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Francis Hedley Greenhalgh RAFVR (168793). Injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Peter Lawson Graham RAFVR (1864773).
Air Gunner - Sgt Charles Henry Bosworth RAFVR (1487691).
Air Gunner - Sgt Raymond Victor Formstone RAFVR (1521240).