Halifax MZ927 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 00.17hrs. The crew released the bomb load from 18,000 feet at 03.31hrs. 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 158 Squadron Halifax MZ373 was forced to wait at the end of the runway. At 06.18hrs 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 158 Squadron Halifax MZ373 and MZ927 ran into the tail of this aircraft. Minor damage resulted to both aircraft.
Pilot - F/Sgt Norman Tilston RCAF (R/165974).
Navigator - F/O Normnan Alan Packer RCAF (J/35908).
Air Bomber - F/Sgt Ralph George Storsater RCAF (R/177806).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Wilfred Middleton RAFVR (1254118).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Michael John Carroll RAFVR (1864761).
Air Gunner - Sgt Lawrence Smyth RCAF (R/222979).
Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Leonard Robbins RCAF (R/209367).